J/ 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



CONTEMPLATIONS OF THE SAVIOUR ; 

4 
SERIES OF EXTRACTS 

FROM THE 

GOSPEL HISTORY, 



REFLECTIONS, 



ORIGINAL AND SELECTED 

HYMNS. 
) 

BY S. GREENLEAF BULFINCH. 









BOSTON : 

CARTER AND HENDEE. 

1S32. 






Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1832, 
By Carter & Hendee, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts?. 



//£f 



PREFACE. 



The following pages have been prepared with reference chiefly to the pur- 
poses of family devotion. Many who have been called on to conduct the 
religious services of a domestic circle, must have felt the difiiculty of 
selecting, in every instance, such passages of Scripture as would be fitted 
for the purpose intended, by their freedom from obscurity, their unity of 
subject, and their natural application to the duties of ordinary life. And as 
the exercise of reading is commonly, followed by a prayer, or in some instan- 
ces by a hymn entirely unconnected in subject with the scriptural lesson, 
there is danger that the religious exercises should, at their close, leave but a 
vague aud confused impression. 

It has been thought that these evils might be remedied, by presenting 
passages from Scripture of moderate length; with Reflections and Hymns, 
which, following the course of thought suggested by the extracts which they 
accompany, may serve to deepen their impression on the memory, the un- 
derstanding, and the feelings. The aim of die reflections has not been to 
advance new or striking thoughts, but merely to follow out die most useful 
ideas presented in the Scriptural extracts : these must for the most part 
be such as would occur to every mind. Little originality therefore can be 
expected. Of the hymns, twenty-two are selected from various authors; the 
rest are original. 

The selections from the New Testament present, in a connected series, 
the events of our Saviour's life. That these should be viewed as constituting 
a whole, and a clear idea gained of the order in v\hich they succeeded one 



IV PREFACE. 

another, is an object of no small importance, and of some difficulty. That 
the historical incidents might be exhibited in a connected view, it has been 
necessary to omit those discourses of our Lord which were not connected 
with any leading event of his ministry. The system of arrangement adopted 
by Dr. Carpenter and Professor Palfrey has been observed ; and the edition, 
by the latter gentleman, of the New Testament conformed to the text of 
Griesbnch, has been followed in the Scriptural extracts. In a very jew in- 
stances, the liberty has been taken of condensing the text by the omission of 
verses or words, where it was thought that a judicious reader in a family 
circle would have felt himself authorized to do the same* 

It is hoped that the following pages may afford assistance, not only in 
family worship, but in private meditation ; and by the arrangement which 
they present of the events in the life of Jesus, may not be without their use 
in aiding the labours of the Sunday School Teacher. 

S. G. B. 
Boston, April, 1832. 



CONTENTS. 



PART I, 

EVENTS PRECEDING THE MINISTRY OF JESUS. 

Page. 

Section I. The Annunciation 13 

II. Birth of John the Baptist - - - 16 

III. Birth of Jesus - 19 

IV. Presentation of Jesus in the temple - 22 

V. Flight into Egypt ... , 25 

VI. Visit to the temple - - » - 28 

PART II. 

TO JESUS' FIRST MIRACLE. 

Section VII. Baptism of Jesus - - - - 31 

" VIII. Temptation in the Wilderness - 33 

" IX. Call of Nathanael, and others - - 36 

" X. Marriage in Cana - - - 39 



CONTENTS. 



PART III. 

TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF JESUS' PUBLIC MINISTRY 
IN GALILEE. 

Section XI. Conversation with Nicodemus - - 41 

" XII. Walk through the cornfields 44 
" XIII. Interview with the Woman of 

Samaria. - - 46 

XIV. Cure of a Nobleman's Son - 49 

" XV. Miracle at the Pool of Bethesda - 52 

" XVI. Woman taken in adultery 55 

XVII. Cure of a blind man - 57 

PART IV. 

TO THE MISSION OF THE TWELVE. 

Section XVIII. Jesus at Nazareth 60 

XIX. Call of Peter, and others - - - 63 

" XX. Sermon on the Mount 65 
" XXI. Conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount 68 

" XXII. Cure of a centurion's servant - 71 
XXIII. Miracle at Nain - - - -73 

" XXIV. Miraculous calm 75 

" XXV. Cure of a demoniac - - - 78 

" XXVI. Cure of a paralytic 80 

XXVII. The daughter of Jairus raised to life 83 

XXVIII. Mission of the Apostles - - 86 



CONTENTS. 



PART V. 

TO THE RETURN OF THE TWELVE. 

Section XXIX Raising of Lazarus 89 

" XXX. Jesus rebukes the Scribes - - 93 

XXXI. Death of John the Baptist - - 95 

PART VI. 

TO THE DEPARTURE OF JESUS FROM GALILEE. 

Section XXXII. Five thousand miraculously fed - 99 

n XXXIII. Jesus walks on the sea - - 102 

" XXXIV. Jesus and the Woman of Canaan 104 

XXXV. Peter's confession of Christ - 107 

XXXVI The Transfiguration - - - 109 

PART VII. 

TO THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. 

Section XXXVII. Jesus rebukes the ardour of his 

disciples - - - - 113 

" XXXVIII. Christ's entry into Jerusalem 115 

" XXXIX. Jesus anointed at Bethany - 118 

" XL. Institution of the Lord's supper - 121 

" XLI. Jesus washes the disciples' feet - 124 
" XLII. Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane 127 

" XLIII. Jesus before the High Priest - 130 

XLIV. Trial before Pilate - 133 



CONTENTS. 

XLV. The crucifixion 137 

XLVI. Death of Jesus. - - - 140 

PART VIII. 

TO THE ASCENSION OF JESUS. 

XL VII The Resurrection - - 143 
XL VIII. Jesus appears to his disciples - 146 

XLIX. Christ's charge to Peter - - 149 

L. The Ascension of Jesus - 152 



INDEX OF HYMNS. 



According to thy gracious word, Montgomery 123 

And dost thou deign, my blessed Lord, - 126 

And shall I, of my strength secure, 33 

Behold the Apostolic band, - - - - - 87 

Benignant Saviour, 't was not thine, - 56 

e Blest are the meek,' he said, Anonymous 67 

Creator ! by thy care and love, - - - - 151 

Faint not, poor traveller, though thy way, 

Christian Disciple 129 

Fear was within the tossing bark, Mrs. Hemans 77 

Great God, whose all-pervading eye, Anonymous 115 

Hail to the Lord's anointed, Montgomery 154 

Hail to the Sabbath day, - - - - 45 

Happy the meek, whose gentle breast, J. Scott 106 

Hath not thy heart within thee burned, - - 148 



X INDEX. 

Incarnate Word, who, wont to chvell, - Heber 40 

In Pilate's hall, by scornful Pharisees, - 136 

In the Saviour's hour of death, - 142 

In the soft season of thy youth, Salisbury Collection 29 

Lift your glad voices in triumph on high, 

H. Ware, jr. 145 
Lord, in whose might the Saviour trod, - - 104 

No war or battle's sound, - Milton 21 

Oh darkly on the path of life, - - - 38 

Oh King of earth, and air, and sea, - Heber 101 

Oh lovely voices of the sky, - Mrs. Hemans 27 

Oh suffering friend of human kind, - - 109 

Oh Thou to whom, in ancient time, Pierpont 48 
Oh Thou, whose power o'er moving worlds presides, 

Johnson 59 

Oh uncreated Light and Love, 79 

Ride on, ride on in majesty, - Heber 117. 

Sad is this narrow span 43 

' See how he loved,' exclaimedthe Jews, 

Exeter Collection 92 
See the grateful sister bending, - 120 

Strength in duty's path to tread, - - 72 

The aged sufferer waited long, - - - 54 

The monarch gave his edict forth, - - - 97, 



The morning dawns upon the place, Montgomery 139 

The race that long in darkness pined, 

Christian Psalmist 62 
The wind was hushed on Galilee, - - - 64 

They have watched her last and quivering breath, 

Mrs. Gilman 85 
Thou by pain and care oppressed, 
Thy messengers, Eternal God, - 

'T is enough, — the hour is come, - Merrick 

Toiling through the livelong night, - - ' 



111 
15 
24 

18 



Wake not, O mother, sounds of lamentation, Heber 75 

Weep not for those, in Christ who sleep, - 132 

What power unseen by mortal eye, - - 51 

When a thousand voices raise, - - - - 35 

When by pain and care oppressed, - - 70 

Who, as the brethren of the Lord, - - - 94 

With feeble pulse, and limbs, whose power, - 82 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 

PART I. 

EVENTS PRECEDING THE MINISTRY OF JESUS. 
SECTION I. 

THE ANNUNCIATION. 

Luke i. 26. 
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent 
from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a 
virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of 
the house of David ; and the virgin's name was Mary. 
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou 
that art highly favoured ; the Lord is with thee ; blessed 
art thou among women. And she was troubled at his 
saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation 
this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, 
Mary, for thou hast found favour with God ; and behold 
thou shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call his name 
Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son 
of the Highest ; and the Lord God shall give unto him 
the throne of his father David ; and he shall reign over 
the house of Jacob forever ; and of his kingdom there 
2 



14 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How 
shall this be ? And the angel answered and said unto 
her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the 
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee : therefore 
also that holy thing which shall be born, shall be called 
the Son of God. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid 
of the Lord ; be it unto me according to thy word. 
And the angel departed from her. 

REFLECTIONS. 

"Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me ac- 
cording to thy word." The reply of Mary expresses her 
undoubting faith. That she should place full reliance upon 
such a divine communication, appears to us by no means 
extraordinary. But there are subjects on which we, like 
her, are instructed from above ; and on these how often do 
we doubt ! How often do we overlook the seal of heavenly 
truth with which God has sanctioned his revelations ! We 
are, we say, fully convinced that Jesus was the messenger 
of God ; but do we always receive his commands with im- 
plicit faith 1 He has unveiled to us the world to come : we 
hear his denunciations to the impenitent, his invitations to 
all; but while we listen, is there not a feeling of doubt 
within us ; a reluctance to take his promises for the ground 
of our hopes 1 He has declared that our heavenly Father 
governs the universe he made, and that without him not a 
sparrow falleth to the ground. Do we believe this 1 If so, 
we must be happy ; for in such faith we shall find a peace 
which nothing else can yield us. But by how few among us 
is this holy faith possessed without a cloud of doubt ! When 
we are convinced that our Saviour spoke by authority from on 
high, doubt and fear should no longer have place, but all his 
declarations meet the same ready and humble faith which 
would be yielded to the words of a visibly present angel. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 15 

HYMN. 

The Messengers of God. 

Thy messengers, Eternal God, 

Are seen in earth and air ; 
They spread thy glory far abroad, 

Thy boundless might declare. 

The thunders roll, the lightnings fly, 

Thy mandates to perform ; 
Thy name is written on the sky, 

'T is spoken in the storm. 

But other messengers are thine, 

Children of light and love ; 
To do on earth thy will divine, 

Or waft our prayers above. 

And in thy word a voice we hear 

Of promised rest on high. 
It bids us to thy throne draw near 

And on thy strength rely. 

O may that faith which Mary knew 

Our inmost hearts possess, 
That we may feel thy promise true, 

And trust thy care to bless ! 



SECTION II. 

BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST, 

Luke i. 57. 
Now Elizabeth's full time came that she should be de- 
livered ; and she brought forth a son. And her neigh- 
bors and her cousins heard how the Lord had showed 



16 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

great mercy upon her ; and they rejoiced with her. 
And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came 
to circumcise the child ; and they called him Zacharias, 
after the name of his father. And his mother answered 
and said, Not so ; but he shall be called John. And 
they said unto her, there is none of thy kindred that is 
called by this name. And they made signs to his father, 
how he would have him called. And he asked for a 
WTiting table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. 
And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened 
immediately, and his tongue loosed ; and he spake, and 
praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round 
about them ; and all these sayings were noised abroad 
throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all that 
heard them, laid them up in their hearts, saying, What 
manner of child shall this be ? And the hand of the 
Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled 
with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying , Blessed 
be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and re- 
deemed his people; and hath raised up a horn of sal- 
vation for us, in the house of his servant David ; (as he 
spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have 
been since the world began;) that we should be saved 
from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 
to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to 
remember his holy covenant, the oath which he sware to 
our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that 
we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, 
might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteous- 
ness before him, all our days. And thou, child, shalt be 
called the prophet of the Highest ; for thou shalt go be- 
fore the face of the Lord to prepare his ways ; to give 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 17 

knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the remission 
of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, 
whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us, to 
give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow 
of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. — And 
the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in 
the deserts, till the day of his showing unto Israel. 

REFLECTIONS. 

What holy gratitude does Zacharias express, in his thanks- 
giving at the close of this chapter. The light from heaven 
which had long been veiled, was now about to burst forth 
again ; and the venerable man knew, that the child of his old 
age was to be the favoured medium of the divine communica- 
tions. What joy must have swelled the father's heart, as he 
thought of the future holiness and eminence of the infant be- 
fore him. Can we not imagine him, with the fire of inspira- 
tion, and the smile of paternal love, together lighting up his 
venerable features, as he pronounces the words, " And 
thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest, for 
thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his 
ways 1" There is not a higher earthly enjoyment than 
good parent derives from the virtue of his child. What an 
incitement does this afford to a grateful son, to render his 
growing virtues a crown of joy to the grey hairs of those who 
gave him life ! 

But the joy of Zacharias was not for himself alone. " The 
day-spring from on high" had dawned. Its rays preceded a 
more glorious light, "the Sun of Righteousness," and Chris- 
tians now, rejoicing in its full radiance, may well praise the 
Father of lights, from whom cometh every good, and every 
perfect gift. 

2 * 



18 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

HYMN. 

"The Day-spring from on High. ,: 

Toiling through the livelong night, 
Faint, uncertain of his way, 

How the traveller hails the light, 
Herald of the coming day. 

Thus, when fraud and rapine threw 
O'er the world their cloud afar, 

On the good man's raptured view 
Broke the dawn of Judah's star. 

Tears of joy and gratitude 

Hailed the Baptist's natal morn, 

For the heavenly light renewed, 
For another prophet born. 

Born to go before the face 
Of Judea's Saviour king ; 

Tidings of celestial grace 

To the mourning land to bring. 

Thus began the song of praise 
For the day-spring's earliest ray. 

How should we the anthem raise 
For the Gospel's perfect day ! 



SECTION III. 

BIRTH OF JESUS. 



Luke ii. 1. 
And it came to pass in those days, that there went 
out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the world 
should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made, when 



GOSPEL HISTORY, 19 

Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be 
taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also 
went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into 
Judea, unto the city of David, which .is called Bethle- 
hem, (because he was of the house and lineage of Da- 
vid,) to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife. And 
she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in 
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger ; because 
there was no room for them in the inn. And there were 
in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keep- 
ing watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel 
of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord 
shone round about them ; and they were sore afraid. 
And the angel said unto them, Fear not ; for behold, I 
bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all 
people ; for unto you is born this day, in the city of 
David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this 
shall be a sign unto you ; Ye shall find the babe wrapped 
in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly 
there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, 
praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, 
and on earth peace ; good will towards men. And it 
came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them 
into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us 
now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which 
is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto 
us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and 
Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when 
they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying 
which was told them concerning this child. And all 
they that heard it, wondered at those things which were 
told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these 



20 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shep- 
herds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the 
things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto 
them. 

REFLECTIONS. 

The records of nations cannot furnish a parallel in impor- 
tance to the event here recorded. Many a Pharisee, many a 
man of eminence, among the crowd who now filled Bethle- 
hem, passed thoughtlessly by the humble resting place, 
which yielded its poor accommodations to Mary and her in- 
fant. In after days too, many a ruler of the people would 
have felt himself dishonoured by a comparison with Jesus. 
But what is earthly power or wealth, in the sight of God 1 
The multitude who then thronged Bethlehem have passed 
away, and their names have no longer an existence in the 
memory of man ; nor would a vestige remain to prove that 
they had once assembled, but for the connexion of the inci- 
dent with the birth of that child. And of those crowds who 
turned superciliously away from the instructions of Jesus, 
the remembrance has passed from the earth. Their very 
denominations of Pharisee and Sadducee, are famous only 
from their incidental occurrence in the history of the man of 
Nazareth. Oh Thou who seest not as man seeth, teach us 
to use candor and deliberation, when we judge from out- 
ward appearances ! Teach us cheerfully to dispense, if need 
be, with the luxuries of life, and never to pride ourselves on 
their possession ; remembering that Jesus, our holy Master, 
was born in the humble manger of an inn ; remembering that 
he, whose name Thou hast exalted above every name, had 
scarcely, even in the hour of tenderest infancy, " where to lay 
his head !" 



GOSPEL F.ISTORY. 21 



Milton, (altered by Dr. Gardiner.) 

No war or battle's sound 

Was heard the world around, 
No hostile chiefs to furious combat ran ; 

But peaceful was the night 

In which the Prince of light 
His reign of peace upon the earth began. 

The shepherds on the lawn, 

Before the point of dawn, 
In cocial circle sat, while all around 

The gentle fleecy brood 

Or cropped the flowery food, 
Oi= slept, or sported on the verdant ground. 

When lo ! with ravished eara, 

Each swain delighted hears 
Sweet music, offspring of no mortal hand ; 

Divinely warbled voice, 

Answering the stringed noise, 
With blissful rapture charmed the listening b<-nd. 

They saw a glorious light 

Burst on their wond'ring sight. 
Harping in solemn choir, in robes arrayed, 

The helmed cherubim, 

And s worded seraphim 
Are seen in glitt'ring ranks, with wings displayed. 

Sounds of so sweet a tone 

Before were never known, 
But when of old the sons of morning sung, 

While God disposed in air 

Each constellation fair, 
And the well balanced world on hinges hung. 



22 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

" Hail, hail, auspicious morn ! 

The Saviour Christ is born," 
(Such was the immortal seraph's song sublime,) 

" Glory to God in heaven ! 

To man sweet peace be given, 
Sweet peace and friendship to the end of time ! " 



SECTION IV. 

PRESENTATION OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE. 

Luke ii. 22. 
And they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him 
to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice according to that 
which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtle 
doves or two young pigeons. And behold, there was a 
man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon ; and the 
same man was just and devout, waiting for the consola- 
tion of Israel. And the Holy Ghost was upon him ; 
and it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that 
he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's 
Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple ; 
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do 
for him after the custom of the law ; then took he him 
up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now 
lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to 
thy word ; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which 
thou hast prepared before the face of all people ; a light 
to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Isra* 
el. And his father and mother marveled at those things 
which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, 
and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 23 

for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a 
6ign which shall be spoken against ; (yea a sword shall 
pierce through thine own soul also ;) that the thoughts of 
many hearts may be revealed. 

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter 
of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser : she was of a great age, 
and had lived with a husband seven years ; and she was a 
widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed 
not from the temple, but served God with fastings and 
prayers night and day. And she, coming in that instant, 
gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to 
all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And 
when they had performed all things according to the law 
of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own 
city Nazareth. 

REFLECTIONS. 

"Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace!" 
Excellent old man ! Were Ave asked the cause of our un- 
willingness to die, how various would be the reasons assign- 
ed. We are not prepared; — we have not we think, enjoyed 
the fullness of this world's blessings ; — we fear; — and a cloud 
of doubt, which even our christian belief does not entirely 
dispel, comes between us and the light of immortality. 
With Simeon it was not so. He waited but for one blessing 
more ; — to see the consolation of Israel ; and his wish was 
granted. His cup of joy was full; the Saviour had come; 
the "light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel" 
had appeared; and now the old man looked to God in per- 
fect, fearless confidence, ready to depart in peace, to pass 
quietly from the anticipation to the full enjoyment of heaven. 
How happy is the death of him who is alike the friend of 
God and man ! He looks round on earth, and sees Almighty 
goodness employed in promoting those best interests of his 



24 GOSPEL HISTORY 

raee which have ever been dear to him ; he looks up to Hea- 
ven, and there a Father's love is ready to bid him welcome. 
He closes his eyes, and enters peacefully on the "inheri- 
tance of the Saints in light." 

HYMN. 

Merrick. 

'T is enough — the hour is come ; 
Now within the silent tomb 
Let this mortal frame decay, 
Mingled with its kindred clay ; 
Since thy mercies, oft' of old 
By thy chosen seers foretold, 
Faithful now, and stedfast prove, 
God of truth, and God of love ! 

Since at length my aged eye 
Sees the day-spring from on high, 
Those whom death has overspread 
With his dark and dreary shade, 
Lift their eyes, and, from afar, 
Hail the light of Jacob's star; 
Waiting till the promised ray 
Turn their darkness into day. 

Sun of Righteousness, to Thee, 
Lo ! the nations bow the knee ; 
And the realms of distant kings 
Own the healing of thy wings : 
See the beams intensely shed, 
Shine on Zion's favored head ! 
Never may they hence remove, 
God of truth, and God of love ! 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 25 

SECTION V. 

FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 

Matt. ii. 
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in 
the days of Herod the king, behold there came wise 
men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he 
that is born King of the Jews ? for we have seen his 
star in the east, and are come to worship him. When 
Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, 
and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered 
all the chief priests and scribes of die people together, 
he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 
And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea : for 
thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, 
in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes 
of Juda ; for out of thee shall come a Governor that shall 
rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had 
privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently 
what time the star appeared. And he sent them to 
Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the 
young child ; and when ye have found him, bring me 
word again, that I may come and worship him also. 
When they had heard the king, they departed ; and lo, 
the star which they saw in the east, went before them, 
till it came and stood over where the young child was. 
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding 
great joy. And when they were come into the house, 
they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and 
fell down and worshipped him ; and when they had open- 



25 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

ed their treasures, they presented unto him gifts ; gold, 
and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God 
in a dream, that they should not return to Herod, they 
departed into their own country another way. And 
when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord 
appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take 
the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and 
be thou there until I bring thee word ; for Herod will 
seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, 
he took the young child and his mother by night, and 
departed into Egypt ; and was there until the death of 
Herod ; that it might he fulfilled that which was spoken 
of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have 
I called my son. 

REFLECTIONS. 

The Almighty operates by human means. The life of 
Jesus was precious in his sight, and he would not abandon it 
to the murderous attempts of Herod : yet did he use the ordi- 
nary instruments for its preservation. Joseph must arise at 
midnight, and undertake a long and toilsome journey, that 
Jesus may be rescued. This should teach us, that the care 
of life and health is a duty with which we may not dispense. 
It is not enough to say that we leave these things in the hand 
of Providence. Providence has committed them to us, and 
we may not resign our trust. 

But the flight into Egypt, though it tore from their home 
the husband and his recently wedded wife, and exposed them 
to toil and danger, had its consolations. They knew that the 
life of their child was dear to God ; that his guardian care 
protected their way ; and that, since he was near them, there 
was no cause for fear. Such is the faith of the Christian. 
He adopts indeed those measures which a wise prudence dic- 
tates for his own happiness and that of others ; but he ever 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 27 

feels, that in the use of these means he is surrounded and up- 
held by the Providence of God ; that his heavenly Father be- 
holds him in love, and will order all things, even those which 
may wear the aspect of calamity, for his final good. 

HYMN. 

Mrs. Hemans. 

Oh ! lovely voices of the sky 

Which hymn'd the Saviour's birth, 
Are ye not singing still on high, 

Ye that sang, " Peace on earthl " 
To us yet speak the strains, 

Wherewith, in time gone by, 
Ye blessed the Syrian swains, 

Oh ! voices of the sky. 

Oh ! clear and shining light, whose beams 

That hour heaven's glory shed, 
Around the palms, and o'er the streams, 

And on the shepherd's head ; 
Be near, through life and death, 

As in that holiest night 
Of hope, and joy, and faith : 

Oh ! clear and shining light. 

Oh ! star which led to Him, whose love 

Brought down man's ransom free, 
Where art thou 1^'midst the host above, 

May we still gaze on thee 1 
In heaven thou art not set, 

Thy rays earth may not dim ; 
{Send them to guide us yet, 

Qh ! star which led to Him. 



28 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

SECTION VI. 

VISIT TO THE TEMPLE. 

Luke ii. 40. 
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled 
with wisdom ; and the grace of God was upon him. 
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the 
feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years 
old, they went up to Jerusalem, after the custom of the 
feast ; and when they had fulfilled the days, as they re- 
turned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem ; and 
Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, sup- 
posing him to have been in the company, went a day's 
journey ; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and 
acquaintance : and when they found him not, they turned 
back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to 
pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, 
sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and 
asking them questions ; and all that heard him were as- 
tonished at his understanding and answers. And when 
they saw him, they were amazed ; and his mother said 
unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us ? be- 
hold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And 
he said unto them, how is it that ye sought me ? wist ye 
not that I must be about, my Father's business ? And 
they understood not the sayings which he spake unto 
them. And he went down with them, and came to Naz- 
areth ; and was subject unto them : but his mother kept 
all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in 
wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 29 

REFLECTIONS. 

What is there in this account most worthy of our atten- 
tion, of our lovel Is it the early understanding of Jesus, 
which astonished the elders with whom he spoke 1 No. 
Others have given proof in youth, of wonderful intellect, but 
united to a defective character. Thus was it not with 
Jesus. He sat among the doctors in the temple, not from 
vanity, to exhibit to their admiration his youthful powers, 
but because he loved the subjects on which they spoke, he 
loved to converse of God, and of his holy law. It is this, 
his devotion to his heavenly Friend and Father, which gives 
such a charm to this incident of his childhood. It is indeed, 
" the beauty of holiness." If Jesus had been found in con- 
versation on earthly subjects, displaying the same under- 
standing, to the astonishment of those who heard him, we 
must have admired, but we should not have loved him as we 
do now. And what we love, we should imitate, giving up 
our hearts to God, whether we be young or old. Happy, 
thrice happy are they, who, like their Saviour, love God 
and holiness from their youth ; for they will have the love of 
all who know them, here below, and of a better friend, even 
God himself, their Father, in heaven. 

HYMN. 

Salisbury Collection. 

In the soft season of thy youth, 

In nature's smiling bloom, 
Ere age arrive, and trembling wait 

Its summons to the tomb ; 

Remember thy Creator, God ; 

For him thy powers employ, 
Make him thy fear, thy love, thy hope, 

Thy confidence, thy joy. 

3* 



30 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

He shall defend and guide thy course 
Through life's uncertain sea, 

Till thou art landed on the shore 
Of blest eternity. 

Then seek the Lord betimes, and choose 
The path of heavenly truth : 

The earth affords no lovelier sight 
Than a religious youth. 



PART II. 

TO JESUS' FIRST MIRACLE 

— ♦ — 

SECTION VII. 

Baptism of Jesus. 

MATT. III. 

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in 
the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye, for the 
kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was 
spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of 
one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the 
Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John 
had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle 
about his loins ; and his meat was locusts and wild 
honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all 
Judea, and all the region round about Jordan ; and 
were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sad- 
ducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, 
generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee 
from the wrath to come ? Bring forth therefore fruit 
meet for repentance ; and think not to say within 
yourselves, We have Abraham to our father ; for I 
say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise 
up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe 
is laid unto the root of the trees ; therefore every tree 



32 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and 
cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water 
unto repentance ; but he that cometh after me is migh- 
tier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear : he 
shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire : 
whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly 
purge his floor, and he will gather his wheat into the 
garner ; but burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. 
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, 
to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, say- 
ing, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest 
thou to me ? And Jesus answering, said unto him, 
Suffer it to be so now ; for thus it becometh us to fulfil 
all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, 
when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the 
water ; and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and 
he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and 
lighting upon him : and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, 
This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 

REFLECTIONS. 

What a comment does this account afford us, on the emp- 
tiness of our excuses for neglecting the ordinances of reli- 
gion ! We think, perhaps, that we stand in no need of them : 
we suppose our principles too firmly fixed to receive aid 
from the ministrations of a fellow mortal in public worship. 
Or we are over fearful of appearing ostentatious in our good- 
ness. We fear lest the world should suspect us of a desire 
to appear holier than others. How many, from feelings like 
these, refrain from approaching the table of Christian com- 
munion ! How many, by such thoughts, are withheld from 
engaging in family worship, from regular attendance on the 
public service of God, nay even from private prayer! 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 33 

Such thoughts derive no sanction from the example of Jesus. 
Wherever an opportunity presented itself of leaving his tes- 
timony to the cause of holiness, of acknowledging his God, 
of instructing those around him, that opportunity he improv- 
ed. Does not his example speak to each of us, in his own 
words, " Go, and do thou likewise 1" 

HYMN. 

"Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh 
US TO fulfil all righteousness." 

And shall I, of my strength secure, 

Resist instruction's call, 
When thou, the holy and the pure, 

Didst condescend to all 1 

Oh let me meekly serve my God, 

Nor think his service shame ; 
And tread the path my Saviour trod, 

And fearless, own his name. 

Unmoved, if mortals blame or praise. 

My Maker's will perform ; 
His love, my joy in prosperous days, 

My shelter in the storm. 



SECTION VIII. 

TEMPTATION in the wilderness. 

Matt. iv. 
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilder- 
ness, to be tempted of the devil. And when he had 
fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards an 
hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he 



34 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

said, If thou be the son of God, command that these 
stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is 
written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every 
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then 
the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth 
him on a pinnacle of the temple ; and saith unto him, 
If thou be the son of God, cast thyself down ; for it is 
written, He shall give his angels charge concerning 
thee ; and in their hands they shall bear thee [up, lest 
at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus 
said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt 
the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into 
an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the 
kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them ; and 
saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou 
wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto 
him, Get thee behind me, Satan ; for it is written, Thou 
shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt 
thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, 
angels came and ministered unto him. 

REFLECTIONS. 

" All these things will I give thee." Such is ever the call 
of temptation. "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt 
fall down and worship thy passions, if thou wilt sacrifice 
what is noble in thee to what is base, philanthrophy and re- 
ligion to selfish enjoyment, the future to the present, heaven 
to earth." Let us flee from idolatry. The moment when in- 
clination becomes sufficiently strong within us to banish 
from our minds the thought of God, and make duty seem un- 
attractive, that moment we are in danger. That moment we 
may be sure that an idol has erected an altar in our hearts. 
Let us at that moment resolve never more to worship before 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 35 

it. All those things for which we ask, it may give us or it 
may withhold ; but it will rob us of our peace of mind, our 
social and religious feelings, the rational esteem of the wise 
and virtuous, the approbation of our conscience and of our 
God. 

HYMN. 

" Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him 
only shalt thou serve." 

When a thousand voices raise 
To thy name the shout of praise, 
And before thy dazzled sight 
Glory beams enthroned in light, 
While on thee she calls aloud, 
Pointing to the admiring crowd, 
Pause, nor kneel before her throne ; 
Give thy heart to God alone ! 

Sweeter strains of soft desire 
Float round Pleasure's golden lyre. 
Bright as beams of opening day 
Hope and Transport round her play ; 
Smiles and Gaiety are there, 
Banished far are Thought and Care. 
Heed not thou the entrancing tone : 
Give thy heart to God alone. 

Mammon bids thee view the store 
Heaped for him from every shore. 
Worship him, and wealth untold, 
Through thy swelling coffers rolled, 
Shall reward thy bended knee. 
Spurn the base idolatry ! 
Heavenly treasures are thine own : 
Give thy heart to God alone. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 

Onward, in thy Saviour's path, 
Brave the baffled Tempter's wrath. 
Soon deceitful Pleasure's lay 
From thine ear shall sink away; 
Soon Ambition's thrilling voice 
Cease to urge thy trembling choice. 
Life's short day of duty done, 
Thou shalt joy in God alone. 



SECTION IX. 

CALL OF NATHANAEL, AND OTHERS. 

John i. 35. 
Again, the next day after, John stood, and two of 
his disciples ; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he 
saith, Behold the Lamb of God ! And the two disci- 
ples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then 
Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto 
them, What seek ye ? They said unto him, Rabbi, 
(which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) Where 
dwellest thou ? He saith unto them, Come and see. 
They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with 
him that day. It was about the tenth hour. One of 
the two which heard John speak, and followed him, 
was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth 
his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have 
found the Messias ; (which is, being interpreted, the 
Christ.) And he brought him to Jesus. When Jesus 
beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona : 
thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, 
a stone. The day following, he would go forth into 
Galilee ; and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow 



GOSPEL HISTOHY. 37 

me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew 
and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto 
him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law, 
and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son 
of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there 
any good thing come out of Nazareth ? Philip saith 
unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael 
coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite 
indeed, in whom is no guile ! Nathanael saith unto 
him, Whence knowest thou me ? Jesus answered and 
said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou 
wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answer- 
ed and said unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, 
thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said 
unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the 
fig-tree, believest thou ? Thou shalt see greater things 
than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say 
unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the 
angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son 
of man. 

REFLECTIONS. 

"Can there any good thing come out^of Nazareth'!" Mis- 
taken man ! Why should you thus brand a whole city with 
unworthiness 1 Why be slow to place confidence in the mer- 
it of any portion of your race 1 Yet how often do we fall in- 
to the same error ! If we have found anything blameable in 
the character of a few individuals, we ascribe the same defect 
to their whole class, or sect, or nation : and should any of 
those we have thus condemned, afford proof of excellence, 
how ready are we to exclaim, in incredulous surprise, ' ' Can 
there any good thing come out of Nazareth %" Rather 
should we rejoice to see what is good everywhere, and con- 
4 



JO GOSPEL HISTORY. 

sider ourselves happy when we are able to think better than 
before, of a man or a class of men. 

But the error of Nathanael was not that of a perverted 
heart. Open and sincere, and exhibiting this sincerity in the 
very avowal of his prejudice, he was "an Israelite indeed," 
a worthy descendent of Abraham, " the father of the faith- 
ful." The Saviour not only forgives his hasty judgment, but 
greets him with marked benignity. Thus will the true disci- 
ple of Jesus forgive the prejudice with which others, through 
ignorance, may regard him; and honor and love them for 
those excellences which he observes in their character, 
though they fail to appreciate the merits of his own. 



Prejudice. 

Oh, darkly on the path of life 

The pilgrim holds his course of strife; 

His wandering vision strives in vain 

The distant prospect to attain ; 

And Prejudice will rise between 

And doubt's dark clouds enfold the scene, 

Father of lights ! to Thee we pray 
To chase those clouds of doubt away, 
Bid lingering Prejudice depart 
That long has shadowed o'er the heart, 
And cause thy Truth, with ray divine, 
Upon thy servant's path to shine. 

Thus when thy Sun in glory springs, 
With morning on his golden wings, 
The shades retire, the mists of night 
Recede, and Nature smiles in light, 
And hill and vale, and earth and sea, 
Breathe forth their matin song to Thee. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 39 

SECTION X. 

MARRIAGE IN CANA. 

John ii. 
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of 
Galilee ; and the mother of Jesus was there. And both 
Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 
And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith 
unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, 
Woman, what have I to do with thee ? Mine hour is 
not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, 
Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were 
set there six water-pots of stone, after the manner of 
the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins 
apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water-pots with 
water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he 
saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the gov- 
ernor of the feast ; and they bare it. When the ruler 
of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, 
(and knew not whence it was, but the servants which 
drew the water knew,) the governor of the feast called 
the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the 
beginning doth set forth good wine ; and when men have 
well drunk, then that which is worse ; but thou hast 
kept the good wine until now. This beginning of mira- 
cles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth 
his glory, and his disciples believed on him. After this, 
he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and 
his brethren, and his disciples, and they continued there 
not many days. 



40 GOSPEL HISTORY. 



REFLECTIONS. 



Benevolent Saviour ! pleased to behold the innocent plea- 
sures of the bridal circle, pleased to lend the sanction of thy 
presence to the holy tie which unites two kindred hearts ! 
how has thy religion been misunderstood ! True happiness 
and true piety are inseparable. The relations of social life, 
the affections of parent and child, of brothers and sisters, of 
friendship, of wedded love, all the gentler emotions, as tliey 
tend to develope what is amiable in us, tend to make us love 
and serve God better ; and the love and the service of him 
lend a richer charm to the endearment of social intercourse. 
Friendship and affection are holy things. The truly reli- 
gious heart must have room for these heavenly guests ; and 
where these are, there, in greater or less strength, but ever 
unextinguished, is the principle of Religion. If there is a 
blessing, for which we ought to be grateful to God, it is for 
our friends. How desolate would life be without them! 
How kind is that heavenly Friend who ^hath granted them to 
us, and who beholds with an approving smile, the union of 
heart with heart among his happy children. 

HYMN. 

Bishop Heber. 

Incarnate Word! who, wont to dwell 
In lowly shape and cottage cell, 
Didst not refuse a guest to be 
At Cana's poor festivity : 

Oh when our soul from care is free, 
Then, Saviour, may we think on thee, 
And, seated at the festal board, 
In fancy's eye behold the Lord. 

So may such joy, chastised and pure, 
Beyond the bounds of earth endure ; 
Nor pleasure, in the wounded mind, 
Shall leave a rankling sting behind, 



PART III. 

TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF JESUS' PUBLIC MINISTRY 
IN GALILEE. 



SECTION XI. 

CONVERSATION WITH NICODEMUS. 

John ii. 13, and hi. 
And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went 
up to Jerusalem, And he found in the temple those 
that sold oxen, and sheep, and doves, and the changers 
of money, sitting : and when he had made a scourge of 
small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and 
the sheep and the oxen ; and poured out the changers' 
money, and overthrew the tables ; and said unto them 
that sold doves, Take these things hence : make not my 
Father's house a house of merchandize. 

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, 
a ruler of the Jews. The same came to him by night, 
and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a 
teacher come from God : for no man can do these mira- 
cles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus 
answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto 
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the 
kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can 
4* 



42 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

a man be born when he is old ? Jesus answered, Verily, 
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water, 
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of 
God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh ; and 
that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not 
that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind 
bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound 
thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither 
it goeth : so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these 
things be ? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou 
a master of Israel, and knowest not these things ? Verily, 
verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and 
testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how 
shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things ? And 
no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came 
down from heaven, even the Son of man, which is in 
heaven. 

REFLECTIONS. 

Sects may differ in their speculative views of regenera- 
tion, but they agree far more nearly than many among their 
disputants imagine. Man, when left without religious im- 
pressions, is weak in character, subject to the influence of 
every passion ; with all his hopes and fears engaged within 
the narrow limits of this life ; selfish ; not applying himself 
with any steadiness of purpose to his own improvement; 
living merely for the external world. The good seed of re- 
ligion is sown in his mind, takes root and thrives there. 
The frailty of his character is changed to strength, and 
temptations formerly yielded to, are now resisted. The cir- 
cle of his attention is no longer limited to earth, and to a 
short term of life here below ; it embraces heaven, and ex- 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 43 

pands into eternity. Instead of living for himself alone, he 
now feels himself the brother and friend of mankind, and the 
child of God. The improvement of his own character be- 
comes the chief object of his life; he lives in an internal, a 
spiritual world, conversant with things invisible. Has not 
such a man acquired a new life 1 Has he not indeed been 
"born again]" Thus may it appear, at the final day, that 
we have been " born of God!" 



HYMN. 

Sad is this narrow span, 

This grant of fleeting years ; 
In tears our earthly course began, 
And finishes in tears. 

But, Father ! thou hast given 
A hope of rest on high ; 
Hast made the grave the path to heaven, 
To immortality. 

Children of thee, we own 
A new and heavenly birth ; 
Kindred to spirits round thy throne, 
Though sojourners of earth. 

Born of thy Spirit, Lord, 
Thy Spirit may we share ; 
Deep in our hearts inscribe thy word, 
And place thine image there. 



Teach us to walk aright 
On earth, as serving thee ; 
Then take us to thy realms of light, 
Thine to eternity. 



44 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

SECTIONXII. 

WALK THROUGH THE CORNFIELDS. 

Luke vi. 
And it came to pass on the second Sabbath after the 
feast, that he went through the cornfields ; and his dis- 
ciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing 
them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said 
unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on 
the Sabbath day ? And Jesus answering them, said, 
Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, 
when himself was an hungered, and they which were with 
him ; how he went into the house of God, and did take 
and eat the shew-bread, and gave also to them which 
were with him, which is not lawful to eat, but for the 
priests alone ? And he said unto them, That the Son 
of man is Lord also of the Sabbath. And it came to 
pass also on another Sabbath, that he entered into 
the Synagogue, and taught : and there was a man whose 
right hand was withered. And the Scribes and Phari- 
sees watched him, whether he would heal on the Sab- 
bath day ; that they might find an accusation against 
him. But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man 
which had the withered hand, Rise up and stand forth 
in the midst. And he arose, and stood forth. Then 
said Jesus unto them, I will ask you, What is lawful on 
the Sabbath day ? To do good, or to do evil, to save 
life, or to kill ? And looking round about upon them 
all, he said unto him, Stretch forth thy hand. And he 
did so : and his hand was restored whole as the other. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 45 

And they were filled with madness ; and they commu- 
ned one with another what they might do to Jesus. 

REFLECTIONS. 

To pluck ears of corn, in passing through a field, was in 
itself a lawful action, sanctioned by Deut. xxiii. 25. It was 
objected to by the Pharisees only as a breach of the Sabbath. 
But our Saviour would guard his followers against supersti- 
tion, even in their veneration for the day of God's appoint- 
ment. We must not neglect the means of religion, the Sab- 
bath and its ordinances, prayer, public and private, and the 
reading of the Scriptures. But we must not mistake all 
these for Religion itself. Religion is of the heart, and of 
the life ; and its forms are only useful, as they produce it, or 
manifest its existence in the heart and life. Most wisely 
and graciously has God provided the Sabbath for our use ; 
and that man knows or thinks but little of his own spiritual 
wants, who perverts it from its true purposes, to make it a 
day of business, or of pleasure. But it "was made for 
man." In itself, apart from considerations of our improve- 
ment, it is like other days. On every day, as on that, is 
God near us ; on every day let him be worshipped ; wor- 
shipped in secret prayer, in the family circle, in honesty in 
our dealings, in all holiness of word, and deed, and thought. 
Thus shall the worship of the days of toil prepare us for the 
worship of the day of rest. 



Hail to the Sabbath day! 

The day divinely given, 
When men to God their homage pay, 

And earth draws near to heaven. 

Lord, in thy sacred hour, 

Within thy courts we bend, 
And bless thy love, and own thy power, 

Our Father, and our Friend. 



46 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

But thou art not, alone, 
In courts by mortals trod, 

Nor only is the day thine own, 
When men draw near their God. 

Thy Temple is the arch 
Of yon unmeasured sky ; 

Thy Sabbath, the stupendous march 
Of grand eternity. 

Lord ! may that holier day 
Dawn on thy servants' sight, 

And grant us in those courts to pray, 
Of pure, unclouded light. 



SECTION XIII. 

INTERVIEW WITH THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 

John iv. 
When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees 
had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples 
than John, (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his 
disciples,) he left Judea, and departed again into Gali- 
lee. And he must needs go through Samaria. Then 
cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, 
near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son 
Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, 
being wearied with his journey sat thus on the well : and 
it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman 
of Samaria to draw water : Jesus saith unto her, give 
me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto 
the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Sa- 
maria unto^ him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, ask- 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 47 

est drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria ? (For 
the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans) . Jesus 
answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of 
God, and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, 
thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have 
given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, 
Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with and the well is deep : 
from whence then hast thou that living water ? Art 
thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the 
well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and 
his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whoso- 
ever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again : but 
whosoever drinketh of the water, that I shall give him, 
shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him, 
shall be in him a well of water, springing up into ever- 
lasting life. — The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive 
that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this 
mountain ; and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place 
where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Wo- 
man, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall nei- 
ther in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the 
Father. Ye worship ye know not what : we know what 
we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour 
cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall 
worship the Father in spirit and in truth ; for the Father 
seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit : and 
they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in 
truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Mesi- 
as cometh ; (which is called Christ ;) when he is come, 
he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I, that 
speak unto thee, am he. 



43 GOSPEL HISTORY. 



REFLECTIONS. 



How constantly was our Saviour's life devoted to the good 
of his race ! It was indeed, to use his own expression, "his 
meat to do the will of him that sent him, and to finish his 
work." In the present instance we see him wearied with a 
Jong journey on foot, seeking a few moments rest by the side 
<fof a well while his disciples leave him, 4 to buy food that his 
exhausted strength and their own may be restored. This 
too is in a land with whose inhabitants his nation "have no 
dealings," even in the common civilities of life. Yet even 
here, in his exhaustion, and among strangers, he finds occa- 
sion to speak the words of God, to declare the spiritual na- 
ture of the divine kingdom, and his own commission from 
above. Let us, his disciples, learn from our Lord the value 
of time ; and let it be our meat and drink, as it was his, to 
do the will of God, and promote the good of those around 
us. 

How sublime too, how worthy of deep reflection, are the 
lessons he now taught ; the value of his own instructions, 
that well of living water, springing up into everlasting life ; 
and the spiritual character of God, and of that worship 
which He accepts. Let us worship Him in spirit; by 
prayer, not formal, but coming from our hearts ; by constant 
endeavours to be holy, as He is holy; by the remembrance that 
the omnipresent Spirit is always near us ; by the service of 
every action, and word, and thought. 

HYMN. 

Rev. Mr. Pierpont. 

Oh Thou, to whom, in ancient time 
The lyre of Hebrew bards was strung, 
Whom kings adored in song sublime, 
And Prophets praised with glowing tongue! 



Not now on Zion's height alone 
Thy favoured worshippers may dwell, 



GOSPEL HI&TORY. 49 



3JTor where, at sultry noon, thy Son 
Sat, weary, by the patriarch's well. 

From every place below the skies, 
The grateful song, the fervent prayer, 
The incense of the heart, may rise 
To heaven, and find acceptance there. 

To thee shall age, with snowy hair, 
And strength and beauty bend the knee, 
And childhood lisp, with reverent air, 
Its praises and its prayers to thee. 

Oh thou to whom in ancient time 
The lyre of prophet bards was strung, 
To thee at length, in every clime, 
Shall temples rise, and praise be sung. 



SECTION XIV. 

CURE OF A NOBLEMAN'S SON. 

John iv. 43. 
Now, after two days he departed thence, and went 
into Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet 
hath no honour in his own country. Then, when he was 
come into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having 
seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast ; 
for they also went unto the feast. So he came again 
into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. 
And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick 
at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come 
out of Judea into Galilee, he went unto him, and be- 
sought him that he would come down and heal his son ; 
5 



50 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto 
him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not be- 
lieve. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down 
ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way, 
thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that 
Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. And 
as he was now going down, his servants met him, and 
told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then inquired he of 
them the hour when he began to amend. And they 
said unto him, Yesterday, at the seventh hour, the fever 
left him. So the father knew that it was at the same 
hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth ; 
and himself believed, and his whole house. This is 
again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was 
come out of Judea into Galilee. 

REFLECTIONS. 

" The man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto 
him." Few of those who surrounded Jesus would have 
been contented with so unostentatious a display of the Sa- 
viour's power. They would have besought him to visit in 
person the chamber of the sick ; they would have expected 
to witness the performance of solemn rites. But for this pe- 
titioner the sentence, " Thy son liveth," was enough. 
Confiding humbly in the divine power, he yielded implicit 
belief to the words of Jesus. The example he affords is one 
which we can never directly imitate, for as the Saviour is no 
more on earth, performing miracles, the circumstances of 
his suppliant can never be ours. But the same implicit be- 
lief which filled his heart when Jesus spoke, may animate us, 
when we listen to the declarations of scripture, and when we 
look to Providence in the events of life. Our heavenly Fa- 
ther has promised us his protecting care : let us confide in 
that promise ; and when, in the hour of distress, we rise 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 51 

from prayer, let it be as the noblemen of Caperna- 
um left the presence of Jesus, with undoubting faith that 
our supplication is heard and accepted, and that although 
the gift we ask may be denied, all needed blessings will be 
granted us, by the mercy of our heavenly Benefactor. 



What power, unseen by mortal eye, 
Wafted Messiah's high command, 
Bade sickness from its victim fly, 
And the glad friends believing stand 1 

Father ! 'T was thine. The Saviour spoke 
The word confirmed by love divine ; 
The bonds of fell disease he broke, 
And, in his power, exalted thine. 

Thy power, Oh Lord, is round us still, 
Though shrouded from our feebler sight, 
To guard, in danger's hour, from ill, 
To lead us in the way of right. 

Oh, if temptations paths we tread, 
Still may we feel that thou art near ; 
And in thy servants' bosom shed 
The spirit of thy love and fear. 

Then as of old, the hour which hears 
Thy word, shall see that word obeyed ; 
And rescued souls, with grateful tears 
Shall bless thy Spirit's timely aid. 



$2 GOSPEL HISTORY. 



SECTION XV. 

MIRACLE AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA. 

John v. 
After this there was a feast of the Jews ; and Jesus 
went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem, by 
the sheep market, a pool, which is called in the Hebrew 
tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a 
great number of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, 
waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel 
went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled 
the water : whosoever then first after the troubling of the 
water, stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever 
disease he had. And a certain man was there, which 
had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus 
saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time 
in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 
The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, 
when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool : 
but while I am coming, another steppeth down before 
me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and 
walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and 
took up his bed, and walked. And on the same day 
was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that 
was cured, It is the Sabbath day : it is not lawful for thee 
to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made 
me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and 
walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which 
said unto thee, Take up thy bed and walk ? And he 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 53 

that was healed wist not who it was, for Jesus had con- 
veyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. 
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto 
him, Behold, thou art made whole : sin no more, lest a 
worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and 
told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him 
whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, 
because he had done these things on the Sabbath day. 

REFLECTIONS. 

Various accounts are given of the pool of Bethesda, and 
its efficacy as a means of cure. Whatever the explanation 
may be, is of little consequence to us, for the circumstance 
from which its interest is derived, is that our Saviour here 
performed a miracle. We may however observe that the 
expression, " an angel went down at a certain season into 
the pool, and troubled the water," may signify only, that at 
regular intervals, the healing power of the water returned, 
or was increased. But how useless was that healing power 
to the impotent man who now lay there ! Day after day did 
he look for relief, and day after day was he disappointed. 
Thus how often, in the very hour when we expect happiness, 
an obstacle starts up before us, and our hope is turned to 
mourning! 

But the Saviour came. The sick man heard his question 
without interest, for he knew not the power of him by whom 
it was proposed. A light arose where he looked not for it. 
Jesus healed by a word the disease under which he laboured. 
Thus amid our disappointments, does God open to us paths 
of happiness of which we had never thought. May we then 
moderate our expectations, cheerfully resign what our God 
denies, and gratefully take what his providence assigns us! 



54 GOSPEL HISTORT. 



The aged sufferer waited long 

Upon Bethesda's brink ; 
Till hopes, once rising warm and strong, 

Began in fears to sink. 
And heavy were the sighs he drew, 

And fervent was his prayer, 
For he, with safety full in view, 

Still languished helpless there. 

His hope grew dim ; but one was nigh 

Who saw the sufferer's grief. 
That gentle voice, that pitying eye 

Gave promise of relief. 
Each pang that human weakness knows 

Obeyed that powerful word : 
He spake, and lo ! the sick arose, 

Rejoicing in his Lord. 

Father of Jesus, when oppressed 

With grief and pain we lie, 
And, longing for thy heavenly rest, 

Despair to look so high, 
Oh may the Saviour's words of peace 

Within the wounded heart, 
Bid every doubt and suffering cease, 

And strength and joy impart. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 55 

SECTION XVI. 

WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY. 

John vii. I. 2. 14. viii. 2. 
After these things Jesus walked in Galilee : for he 
would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to 
kill him. Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at 
hand. Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up 
into the temple, and taught. And early in the morning 
he came again into the temple, and all the people came 
unto him ; and he sat down, and taught them. And the 
Scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken 
in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they 
say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, 
in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, 
that such should be stoned : but what sayest thou ? 
This they said, tempting him, that they might have to 
accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his 
ringer wrote on the ground, as though he heard them 
not. So, when they continued asking him, he lifted 
up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin 
among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again 
he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they 
which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, 
went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto 
the last ; and Jesus was left alone, and the woman stand- 
ing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, 
and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, 
where are those thine accusers ? hath no man con- 
demned thee ? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus 



56 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee : go, and sin 
no more. 

REFLECTIONS. 

tc He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a 
stone at her" Well would it be for the world, if the spirit 
of this sentence were more generally felt and acted On; if 
those who are themselves guilty would pass judgments of 
less unnecessary severity on their offending brethren. Let 
those laws which are established for the punishment of 
crime, be executed with all needed strictness ; let those 
usages of society be retained and enforced, by which the 
abandoned are excluded from the society of those they might 
corrupt : but let mercy unite with justice in our judgments 
of our fellow men. At least, as individuals, let us be willing 
to think as favourably of all, as may be possible. Have not 
we ourselves offended'? Should we not therefore, sympa- 
thize with others, even though guilty 1 If we be forgiving to 
them, we have the best hope of mercy from our God, for 
"the merciful shall obtain mercy." 

HYMN. 

Benignant Saviour ! 'T was not thine 
To spurn the erring from thy sight, 
Nor did thy smile of love divine 
Turn from the penitent its light. 

Oh then, shall we, who own thy name, 
A brother's fault too sternly view, 
Or think thy holy law can blame 
The tear, to human frailty due 1 

May we, while human guilt awakes 
Upon our cheek the generous glow, 
Spare the offender's heart, that breaks 
Ber*>°* L -*= load of shame and woe. 



GOSPEL HISTORY 57 

Conscious of frailty, may we yield 
Forgiveness of the wrongs we bear ; 
And strive the penitent to shield 
From further sin, or dark despair. 

And when our own offences weigh 
Upon our heart, with anguish sore, 
Lord, let thy sparing mercy say, 
Like Jesus, " Go, and sin no more." 



SECTION XVII. 

CURE OF A BLIND MAN. 

John ix 1. and 13. 
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was 
blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, say- 
ing, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that 
he was born blind ? Jesus answered, Neither hath this 
man sinned, nor his parents ; but that the works of God 
should be made manifest in him. I must work the 
works of him that sent me, while it is day : the night 
cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in 
the world, I am the light of the world. When he had 
thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay, and 
he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay ; and 
said unto him, Go wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is, 
by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, 
and washed, and came seeing. 

They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was 
blind. And it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made 
the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Phari- 
sees also asked him how he had received his sight. He 



00 GOSPEL HISTOKi. 

said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I 
washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Phari- 
sees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not 
the Sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a 
sinner do such miracles ? And there was a division 
among them. They say unto the blind man again, 
What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine 
eyes ? He said, He is a prophet. But the lews did 
not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and 
received his sight, until they called the parents of him 
that had received his sight. And they asked them, say- 
ing, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind ? 
How then doth he now see ? His parents answered 
them and said, we know that this is our son, and that he 
was born blind : but by what means he now seeth, we 
know not ; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not : 
he is of age, ask him ; he shall speak for himself. Then 
again called they the man that was blind, and said unto 
him, Give God the praise : we know that this man is a 
sinnner. He answered and said, whether he be a sinner 
or no, I know not : one thing I know, that, whereas I 
was blind, now I see. They reviled him, and said, 
Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. We 
know that God spake unto Moses ; as for this fellow, we 
know not from whence he is. 

REFLECTIONS. 

" For judgment," said Jesus "I am come into this world ; 
that they which see not, might see, and that they which see 
might be made blind;" nor could a more striking instance 
of intentional blindness have been exhibited, than in the 
conduct of the Pharisees on this occasion. The man who has 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 59 

been restored to sight, stands before them. They have the 
testimony of his parents, as well as others, to the fact of his 
previous blindness, even from birth. But they shut their eyes 
against the conclusion ; and- fly to that resort, so common 
when reason fails, violence of words and conduct. And is 
there no voluntary blindness in us 1 When the book of God 
is within the reach of every one, while thousands are yet ig- 
norant of what it requires, are they not voluntarily blind! Are 
we not chargeable with wilful blindness when painful but im- 
proving thoughts are in any manner elicited, and we turn im- 
patiently away to some more pleasing subject; when we 
shake off the conviction that we are doing wrong, and con- 
tinue in our conduct 1 Are we not voluntarily blind while a 
single foible remains undetected, of whose existence we 
should have been conscious, had we searched with sufficient 
care 1 May God open our eyes to our own defects, to the 
importance of amendment, to the glory and loveliness of his 
own perfect character! 



Imploring Divine light. Dr. Johnson. 

Oh Thou whose power o'er moving worlds presides, 
Whose voice created, and whose wisdom guides ! 
On darkling man in pure effulgence shine, 
And cheer the clouded mind with light divine ! 

' Tis thine alone to calm the pious breast, 
With silent confidence, and holy rest ; 
From thee, great God, we spring, to thee we tend, 
Path, motive, guide, original, and end ! 



PART IV. 

TO THE MISSION OF THE TWELVE. 
SECTION XVIII. 

JESUS AT NAZARETH. 

Luke iv. 14. 
And Jestis returned in the power of the spirit into 
Galilee : and there went out a fame of him through all 
the region round about. And he taught in their syna- 
gogues, being glorified of all. And he came to Naza- 
reth, where he had been brought up : and, as his custom 
was on the Sabbath day, he went into the synagogue, 
and stood up for to read. And there was delivered 
unto him the book of the prophet Esaias ; and when 
he had opened the book, he found the place where it 
was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, 
because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel 
to the poor ; he hath sent me to preach deliverance 
to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind ; 
to set at liberty them that are bruised ; to preach the 
acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, 
and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. 
And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue 
were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, 
This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 61 

bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words 
which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is 
not this Joseph's son ? And he said unto them, Ye will 
surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thy- 
self : whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do 
also here in thy country. And he said, Verily I say 
unto you, No prophet is accepted .in his own country. 
But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in 
the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three 
years and six months, when great famine was throughout 
all the land ; but unto none of them was Elias sent, save 
unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a 
widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of 
Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, sa- 
ving Naaman the Syrian. And all they in the synagogue, 
when they heard these things, were filled with wrath ; 
and they rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led 
him unto the brow of the hill, whereon their city was 
built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he, 
passing through the midst of them, went- his way ; and 
he came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and 
taught them on the Sabbath days. 

REFLECTIONS. 

How striking, how dignified, is the short address of Jesus, 
as he commences his preaching in his own city ! But the 
inhabitants, though they admired at first, the gracious words 
of the Saviour, could not bear the high tone in which he 
spoke of his commission, and justified himself for not per- 
forming wonders among them. Pride prevented them from 
listening to his instructions, — mortified pride, in not having 
been themselves selected, as the witnesses of his previous 
miracles. How often does a similar pride deprive us of hap- 
6 



62 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

pinesSj when it stands ready for our acceptance! The 
thought that another is preferred to ourselves, that we, though 
favoured, are not sufficiently distinguished above others, such 
feelings make us unkind to our friends, ungrateful to our 
benefactors, and lead us to murmur against the providence of 
God. 

The men of Nazareth, too, despised the Saviour for his 
poverty, and want of extraordinary advantages of education ; 
for they knew not, that he had been taught from above, and 
that upon him had been poured forth the Spirit without mea- 
sure. God often uses instruments, seemingly the most hum- 
ble, to declare his will ; and it is sometimes from the low- 
liest lips that we hear the divinest lessons of virtue, the 
wisest rules of happiness. 

HYMN. 

Christian Psalmist. 

The race that long in darkness pined, 

Have seen a glorious light ; 
The people dwell in day, who dwelt 

In death's surrounding night. 

To hail thy rise, thou better Sun ! 

The gathering nations come, 
Joyous, as when the reapers bear 

The harvest treasures home. 

To us a child of hope is born, 

To us a son is given ; 
Him shall the tribes of earth obey, 

Him, all the hosts of heaven. 

His name shall be the Prince of Peace, 

Whose rule shal 1 stretch abroad, 
The Wonderful, the C unsellor, 

The great and mighty Lord. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 63 

His power, increasing, still shall spread ; 

His reign no end shall know ; 
Justice shall guard his throne above, 

And peace abound below. 



SECTION XIX. 

CALL OF PETER, AND OTHERS. 

Matt. iv. 18. 
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two 
brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, 
casting a net into the sea ; for they were fishers. And 
he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fish- 
ers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and 
followed him. And going on from thence, he saw oth- 
er two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John 
his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mend- 
ing their nets ; and he called them. And they immedi- 
ately left the ship, and their father, and followed him. 
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their syna- 
gogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and 
healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease 
among the people. And his fame went throughout all 
Syria; and they brought unto. him all sick people, that 
were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those 
which were possessed with devils, and those which were 
lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed 
them. And there followed him great multitudes of peo- 
ple from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusa- 
lem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan. 



64 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

REFLECTIONS. 

It apears from John i. 42. (Section ix.) that our Saviour 
had already conversed with Simon and Andrew, and confer- 
red upon the former the name of Cephas, or Peter, signifying 
"a rock." He now summons them to quit their employ- 
ments and follow him. The instruments of God in diffusing 
Christianity were humble men, and among them the distin- 
guished apostle whose call is here recorded, pursued an un- 
pretending occupation for his support. Yet was he chosen, 
while the proud, the wealthy, and the educated were passed 
by; and for what % For his sincerity, his boldness, the 
warmth of his affections, the faithfulness of his heart. These 
were treasures which the brightest acquirements of his na- 
tion's sages could not equal. Let the humble Christian 
strive after these treasures. Let him not envy the pageantry 
of kings, the fame of conquerors ; for men, whose glory is 
more lasting than that of princes, were clothed in no costly 
robes, but those of justice and piety. And let not the child 
of fortune and cultivation look down with scorn on those 
whose station is inferior to his own ; for they who taught the 
gospel to mankind, rose from obscurity ; and never, in the 
exercise of their holy functions, wasted a thought of envy en 
the splendours of earth. Those splendours were too low 
and transient to be compared with the inheritance they look- 
ed for, incorruptible, undefiled, and which fadeth not away, 

HYMN. 

The wind was hushed on Galilee, 

As near its waveless flood, 
With thought as calm as that fair sea, 

An humble fisher stood. 

A voice was heard; as on the lake 

Is heard the whispering breeze ; 
Gentle, yet mighty to awake 

The grandeur of the seas. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 65 

Years passed away ; — the humble man 

Who stood unheeding there, 
No more at early dawn began 

The fisher's tranquil care. 

Him, palaces of eastern pride 

Now hailed, an honoured guest ; 
And now, the lowliest couch beside, 

He spoke of heavenly rest. 

He bore, through perils far and near 

His Saviour's holy name : 
He yielded not to hope or fear, 

To indolence or shame. 

That Saviour's presence cheered his breast 

Through every varied scene : 
That faith his dying hour confessed, 

In martyrdom serene. 

Lord ! while thy holy servant's lot 

In various scenes we view, 
Ne'er be that faith and love forgot, 

Which bore him stedfast through. 



SECTION XX. 

SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 

Matt. v. 
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a moun- 
tain ; and when he was set, his disciples came unto him : 
and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 
Blessed are the poor in spirit ; for theirs is the kingdom 
of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn ; for they shall 
6* 



66 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

be comforted. Blessed are the meek ; for they shall 
inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger 
and thirst after righteousness ; for they shall be filled. 
Blessed are the merciful ; for they shall obtain mercy. 
Blessed are the pure in heart ; for they shall see God. 
Blessed are the peace-makers ; for they shall be called 
the children of God. Blessed are they which are" per- 
secuted for righteousness' sake ; for theirs is the kingdom 
of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, 
and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil 
against you, falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be ex- 
ceeding glad ; for great is your reward in heaven ; for 
so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 
Ye are the salt of the earth : but if the salt have lost its 
savour, wherewith shall it be salted ? it is thenceforth 
good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden 
under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A 
city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men 
light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candle- 
stick ; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see 
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in 
heaven. 

REFLECTIONS. 

" Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful." 
It is not thus, we may suppose, that the world in general 
judge, for it is not on the principles thus expressed that they 
act. Yet are the words of our Saviour confirmed by daily 
experience. Who, even in this life, are happy, if not the 
peaceful 1 Is violence of passion a blessing to him who in- 
dulges it 1 Far otherwise. We cannot conceive of a state 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 67 

of mind more heavenly, than to be at peace with all the 
world, with conscience, and with God. 

" Blessed are the peacemakers ;" for a holier, loftier plea- 
sure does not exist than that of doing good ; and if peace be 
happiness, and its opposite be misery, how godlike is the 
enjoyment of that man who restores to his brethren that best 
of blessings ! 

" Blessed are the pure in heart;" those who obey the law 
of God, not from fear, but from the absence of any desire 
beyond the bounds which that law has established; they 
whose virtue flows in natural and quiet beauty, from the un- 
sullied fountain of an innocent mind. 

Blessed are even the mourners and the persecuted; if 
their strength is in God. They may lose every other sup- 
port, but they possess the love of their Father, and the hope 
of heaven. As other consolations fail, these grow brighter : 
till at length the event of death itself is met with tranquillity 
or even rapture, and conducts them to their full blessedness 
above. 

HYMN. 

Anonymous. 

c Blest are the meek,' he said 

Whose doctrine is divine ; 
The humble-minded earth possess, 

And bright in heaven will shine. 

While here on earth they stay, 

Calm peace with them shall dwell ; 

And cheerful hope, and heavenly joy, 
Beyond what tongue can tell. 

The God of peace is theirs ; 

They own his gracious sway ; 
And, yielding all their wills to him, 

His sovereign laws obey. 



68 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

No angry passions move, 
No envy fires the breast ; 

The prospect of eternal peace 
Bids every trouble rest. 

Oh gracious Father, grant 
That we this influence feel, 

That all we hope, or wish, may be 
Subjected to thy will. 



SECTION XXI. 

CONCLUSION OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 

Matt. vii. 1. and 21. 

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what 
judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged ; and with what 
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you. And 
why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, 
but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye ? 
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out 
the mote out of thine eye ; and behold, a beam is in 
thine own eye ? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the 
beam out of thine own eye ; and then shalt thou see 
clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall 
enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the 
will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say 
to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied 
in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and 
in thy name done many wonderful works ? And then 
will I profess unto them, I never knew you ; depart 
from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore, whosoev- 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 



69 



er heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them 5 I wi 1 ! 
liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a 
rock : and the rain descended, and the floods came, and 
the winds blew, and beat upon that house ; and it fell 
not ; for it was founded upon a rock. And every one 
that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, 
shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his 
house upon the sand : and the rain descended, and the 
floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that 
house ; and it fell ; and great was the fall of it. And it 
came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the 
people were astonished at his doctrine ; for he taught 
them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes. 

REFLECTIONS. 

cc Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth 
them," said the Saviour, "I will liken him unto a wise 
man,'' &c. What then are the rules, in obedience to which 
we shall find the foundation of our true happiness 1 They 
are, above all things, humility, peacefulness, and devotion 
to God : with enforcing these did the sermon on the mount 
commence. To these succeeds the precept to establish a 
high standard of right, not conformed merely to the requisi- 
tions of the world, or the traditions of other days. We are 
commanded to act, not only in a right manner, but from 
right motives ; banishing from our hearts the spirit of osten- 
tation ; regarding as of comparatively little consequence the 
treasures, the honours of earth ; but entrusting these things 
to the care of Providence, to devote every power to the per- 
formance of duty. The discourse of the Saviour closes 
with instructions to avoid rash and harsh judgment, and 
at the same time, to exercise discretion in the choice of 
friends and advisers ; and above all, to repose with filial con- 
fidence on the love of our heavenly Father. The sure foim- 



70 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

dation, never failing in the hour of danger, is thus described 
by Jesus, as consisting of humility, disinterestedness, can- 
dour, faith in God, and earnest endeavours to perform his 
will. 



When, by pain and care oppressed, 
Anguish fills the trembling breast, 
When our earthly comforts fail. 
When temptation's floods assail, 
Father, in that fearful hour, 
Aid us by thy heavenly power. 

When the blasts of adverse fate 
Leave the mighty desolate, 
When around in ruin wide 
Fall the lofty domes of pride, 
May our tower of safety be, 
Rock of ages ! based on thee. 

Transient are the joys of earth. 
As the hour that gives them birth ; 
Faithless as a lovely dream, 
Fading at the morning's beam ; 
Treacherous as the fleeting sand, 
Wave -washed on the ocean's strand. 

But thy servants' trust, Oh Lord! 
Rests on thine unfailing word, 
On the precepts Jesus gave, 
On our Father's will to save, 
On the strength, and light, and love, 
Beaming from thy throne above. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 71 

SECTION XXIL 

CURE OF A CENTURION'S SERVANT. 

Matt. viii. 
When he was come down from the mountain, great 
multitudes followed him. And behold, there came a 
leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt thou 
canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand 
and touched him, saying, I will ; be thou clean. And 
immediately, his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith 
unto him, See thou tell no man ; but go thy way, show 
thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses com- 
manded, for a testimony unto them. And when he was 
entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centu- 
rion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth 
at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And 
Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The 
centurion answered and said, Lord I am not worthy that 
thou shouldst come under my roof; but speak in a word 
only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man 
under authority, having soldiers under me : and I say 
to this man, Go, and he goeth ; and to another, Come, 
and he cometh ; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth 
it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to 
them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not 
found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto 
you, that many shall come from the east and west and 
shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in 
the kingdom of heaven: but the children of the kingdom 
shall be cast out into outer darkness ; there shall be 



72 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto 
the centurion, Go thy way ; and as thou hast believed, 
so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in 
the self-same hour. 

REFLECTIONS. 

Faith in his power, was the condition required of those 
who implored our Saviour's aid. The time of his presence 
on earth is long since over, and to us, faith no more retains 
the miraculous efficacy which it once possessed. But 
its power still exists, though in another form. Still is it 
the softener of every bodily pain, the healer of every mental 
disease. The Christian, amid the trials of his course, raises 
his eye to that God, by whose providence they are all di- 
rected. He knows that there is a power on high to regulate 
apparent evil for the production of final good ; he recals the 
memory of past mercies ; he dwells upon the goodness" which 
sent the Saviour upon earth; his soul seeks in prayer 
the throne of its Friend and Maker ; and earthly trials fade 
away for a season, from his remembrance, as he holds con- 
verse with a holier and a happier world. And when he 
turns from these contemplations, to meet again the ills that 
surround him, it is with his strength renewed, his hopes ex- 
alted, his whole soul filled with courage, and inspired to 
"press on to the mark, for the prize of the high calling of 
God, in Christ Jesus." 

HYMx\. 

Strength, in duty's path to tread ; 
Comfort to thy dying bed ; 
Love to that all-bounteous Friend 
From whose love thy joys descend; 
Peace, which earth can ne'er destroy ; 
Pleasure, that shall never cloy ; 
These shall heaven-eyed Faith confer 
On the humble worshipper. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 73 

Visions of a brighter sphere, 
Sent the struggling soul to cheer; — 
Scenes that on the Christian's eye 
Burst in glory from on high ; — 
What shall call your forms to light 
Mid the cold earth's cheerless night 1 
These to Christian Faith are given, 
Faith, the harbinger of henven. 



SECTION XXIII. 

MIRACLE AT NAIN. 

Luke vii. 11. 
And it came to pass, the day after, that he went into 
a city called Nain ; and many of his disciples went with 
him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to 
the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man car- 
ried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a wid- 
ow ; and much people of the city was with her. And 
when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and 
said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched 
the bier ; and they that bare him stood still. And he 
said, Young man, I say unto thee, arise ; and he that was 
dead sat up, and began to speak ; and he delivered him 
to his mother. And there came a fear on all ; and they 
glorified God, saying, that a great prophet is risen up 
among us ; and that God hath visited his people. And 
this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judea, and 
throughout all the region round about. And the disci- 
ples of John showed him of all these things. And 
John, calling unto him two of his disciples, sent them 
7 



74 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

unto Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come, or look 
we for another ? When the men were come unto him, 
they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, 
Art thou he that should come, or look we for another ? 
And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities, 
and plagues, and of evil spirits, and unto many that 
were blind he gave sight. Then Jesus answering, said 
unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye 
have seen and heard ; how that the blind see, the lame 
walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the 'dead 
are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And 
blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 

REFLECTIONS. 

The miracles of Jesus were designed to prove that God had 
sent him, but it was ever his aim to make them also directly 
conducive to the happiness of mankind. Of this benevolence in 
the exertion of his wonderful power, the present is an affect- 
ing instance. Desolate indeed was the situation of her whom 
he relieved, — the widowed mother, a sufferer already under 
the dispensation which had deprived her of her husband, and 
now called to part from her only son, the last prop of her 
bereaved age. But the Saviour speaks, and while the tears 
are yet flowing over the bier of her lost one, she sees him 
restored to life, and presented to her again, with gentle 
words from her heavenly benefactor. How must she have 
blest the messenger of God, who thus employed the power 
given him from above ! What tears of grateful joy must she 
have shed, with her recovered son ! We too, like her, have 
mourned over friends ; we too have felt what it is to be de- 
solate on earth : shall not we, at length, like her, find the 
lost ones restored to us by divine beneficence 1 How blest 
will then be the reunion of long divided affections ; how rap- 
turous the offering of praise to the Universal Father ! 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 75 

HYMN. 

Bishop Heber. 

Wake not, mother, sounds of lamentation : 
Weep not, O widow, weep not hopelessly ! 

Strong is his arm, the bringer of salvation, 
Strong is the Word of God to succour thee. 

Bear forth the cold corse, slowly, slowly, bear him ! 

Hide his pale features with the sable pall ; 
Chide not the sad one, wildly weeping near him ; 

Widow'd and childless, she hath lost her all. 

Why pause the mourners % Who forbids our weeping % 
Who the dark pomp of sorrow has delayed 1 

" Set down the bier. He is not dead, but sleeping ; 
Young man, arise ; " He spake, and was obeyed. 

Change, then, O sad one, grief for exultation ; 

Worship and fall before Messiah's knee ! 
Strong was his arm, the bringer of Salvation, 

Strong was the Word of God to succour thee. 



SECTION XXIV. 

MIRACULOUS CALM. 

Mark iv. 30. 
And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the ki ngdom 
of God? or with what comparison shall we compare 
it? It is like a grain of mustard-seed, which when it is 
sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the 
earth : but when it is sown, it groweth up, and becom- 
eth greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branch- 
es ; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the 



76 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

shadow of it. And with many such parables spake he 
the word unto them, as they were able to hear it ; but 
without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they 
were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. 
And the same day, when the even was come, he saith 
unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And 
when they had sent away the multitude, they took him 
even as he was in the ship ; and there were also with 
him other ships. And there arose a great storm of 
wind ; and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was 
now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, 
asleep on a pillow ; and they awake him, and say unto 
him, Master, carest thou not that we perish ? And he 
arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, 
Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a 
great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fear- 
ful ? how is it that ye have no faith ? And they feared 
exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of 
man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him ? 

REFLECTIONS. 

It is the same being, who wept over the tomb of Lazarus, 
who took up little children in his arms and blessed them, — 
who, on the cross, forgot his own agony in the thought of his 
mother, — that now, in the majesty of the Son of God, com- 
mands, and "the wind and the sea obey him." If ever a 
being' could be raised above his race, if ever there were one 
in whom we should look to see no mixture of the softer hu- 
man feelings, it would be one gifted with such power as 
Jesus possessed ; yet never was there a heart in which ev- 
ery feeling of holy human nature glowed more warmly. 
How does his perfect character shame the cold philosophy 
which has been too prevalent, the philosophy of selfishness, 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 77 

the idea that dignity or happiness can be attained by the 
destruction of the purer and gentler affections. The religion 
of Jesus smiles on all that is lovely in human character. 
At its voice, as at that of the Saviour on the lake of Galilee, 
the winds and waves of passion sink, and a holy and beauti- 
ful calm spreads over the soul beneath its sway. 

HYMN. 

Mrs Hemans. 

Fear was within the tossing bark. 

When stormy winds grew loud ; 
And waves came rolling high and dark, 

And the tall mast was bow'd. 

And men stood breathless in their dread. 

And baffled in their skill — 
33ut One was there, who rose and said 

To the wild sea, "Be still! " 

And the wind ceasM : — it ceas'd ! — that word 

Passed through the gloomy sky ; 
The troubled billows knew their Lord, 

And sank beneath his eye. 

And slumber settled on the deep, 

And silence on the blast, 
As when the righteous falls asleep, 

When death's fierce throes are past. 

Thou that didst rule the angry hour, 

And tame the tempest's mood ; 

Oh ! send thy spirit forth in power, 

O'er our dark souls to brood ! 

Thou that didst bow the billow's pride, 

Thy mandates to fulfil ; — 
Speak, speak to passion's raging tide, 

Speak, and say — "Peace, be still." 

7 # 



7S GOSPEL HISTORY. 

SECTION XXV. 

CURE OF A DEMONIAC. 

Luke viii. 26. 
And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, 
which is over against Galilee. And when he went forth 
to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, 
which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, nei- 
ther abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he 
saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and 
with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, 
Jesus, thou Son of God most high ? I beseech thee, 
torment me not. (For he had commanded the unclean 
spirit to come out of the man ; for oftentimes it had 
caught him ; and he was kept bound with chains, and in 
fetters ; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the 
devil into the wilderness.) And Jesus asked him, say- 
ing, What is thy name ? And he said, Legion ; because 
many devils were entered into him. And they besought 
him that he would not command them to go out into the 
deep. And there was there a herd of many swine feed- 
ing on the mountain ; and they besought him that he 
would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered 
them. Then went the devils out of the man, and enter- 
ed into the swine ; and the herd ran violently down a 
steep place into the lake, and were choked. W T hen 
they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, 
and went, and told it in the city and in the country. 
Then they went out to see what was done ; and came to 
Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were 



L0E3P3- HISTORY. 79 

departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his 
right mind ; and they were afraid. They also which 
saw it, told them hy what means he that was possessed 
of the devils was healed. Then the whole multitude of 
the country of the Gadarenes round about, besought 
him to depart from them ; for they were taken with 
great fear. And he went up into the ship, and returned 
back again. 

REFLECTIONS. 

What more fearful spectacle is there, than a mind in 
ruins 1 what more beneficent act than its restoration to in- 
tellectual health % What blessing then, can approach in 
value to a comparison with the intellectual portion of our 
nature ! How should we bless the cc Father of our spirits," 
that he has permitted us thus to bear the image of himself! 
And how deeply then are we responsible for the right culti- 
vation and employment of our mental powers ; for their de- 
velopement, fully, and in their due -proportion. We here 
commence an existence which shall never end. How im- 
portant that it should be commenced aright ; that now, in 
this, the infancy of our being, we learn to love that God, 
whose presence will be with us through eternity ; and to ex- 
pand those faculties with which we are endowed, in such a 
manner, that ages hence we may look back on this dawn of 
our existence as a fit commencement for the bright course of 
heavenly glory to which it introduced us. 

HYMN. 

Oh uncreated Light and Love, 
Dwelling in majesty above ! 
Thou, who didst blend the mental ray, 
At Nature's dawn, with human clay ; 



80 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

Thy image, then, by thee impressed, 
Restore within thy children's breast. 
Make us from sin and error free, 
And sanctify our minds to thee ! 

Oh banish from thy servants' path 
The demon host of Scorn and Wrath, 
Error, with wildly beaming eye, 
And dull Insensibility. 
Blind Prejudice, and fierce Desire, 
And Malice, with his glance of fire. 
At thy command we burst their chain, 
And in thine image rise again. 

And when, life's journey o'er, we tread 
The shadowy regions of the dead, 
When the last foe his threatening dart 
Points at the Christian's trembling heart.. 
Thy mercy then, thy people's shield, 
Shall cause the last dread foe to yield, 
Thy sons shall pass the valley o'er, 
And in thy heavenly courts adore. 



SECTION XXVI. 

CURE OF A PARALYTIC. 

Mark ii. 
And again he entered into Capernaum, after some 
days ; and it was noised that he was in the house, and 
straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that 
there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as 
about the door ; and he preached the word unto them. 
And they came unto him, bringing one sick of the 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 81 

palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could 
not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered 
the roof where he was ; and when they had broken it 
up, they let down the bed whereon the sick of the palsy 
lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick 
of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven. But there 
were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning 
in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphe- 
mies ? Who can forgive sins but God only ? And im- 
mediately, when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they 
so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, 
Why reason ye these things in your hearts ? Whether 
is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be 
forgiven ; or to say, Arise, take up thy bed, and walk ? 
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power 
on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the 
palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go 
thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, 
took up the bed, and went forth before them all ; inso- 
much that they were all amazed, and glorified God, 
saying, We never saw it on this fashion. And he went 
forth again by the sea-side ; and all the multitude re- 
sorted unto him, and he taught them. 

REFLECTIONS. 

The place where our Saviour stood was the court, com- 
mon in the interior of eastern houses : and the part removed 
by the attendants of the sick man was either an awning, by 
which this court was sheltered from the sun, or a balustrade 
which surrounded it on the roof. Great indeed must have 
been the sick man's faith in the power of Jesus, thus to 
encounter exposure and fatigue, while already in a state of 



OX GOSPEL HISTORY. 

exhaustion. Such should be our faith, when we look for 
relief to the religion of Jesus. Our bodily diseases are no 
longer removed by the word of our Saviour ; but his spirit, 
and the power of his religion, if they indeed be living and 
active within us, can banish the disorders of the mind and 
heart, the paralysis of sin, the deadness of the soul. That 
such may be their influence we should seek as earnestly, as 
the sick man of Capernaum sought the presence of Jesus. 
Like him we should think no effort too great, no means to 
be left untried, that we may gain the end in view. Like him 
should we retain our trust, unbroken by delay, that the 
mental health we seek shall be restored to us, if we be true 
to ourselves, through the mercy of our heavenly Father. 

HYMN. 

With feeble pulse, and limbs, whose power 
Had sunk, through many a painful hour, 

The paralytic lay. 
He heard of signs by Jesus wrought, 
And to his couch the tidings brought 

A gleam of cheerful day. 

Hope came, and Faith, though oft her wing 
Had soared in vain, dared upward spring 

To greet the rescue nigh. 
In vain the throng oppose his way ; 
His faithful guides their burthen lay 

Before the Saviour's eye. 

Thus, Lord, may we, in every grief, 
Of thy rich mercy seek relief, 

And never seek in vain ; 
And thus, when conscience wounded lies, 
Oh bid the penitent arise 

To life and strength again. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 83 



SECTION XXVII. 

THE DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS RAISED TO LIFE. 

Luke viii. 41. 
And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he 
was a ruler of the synagogue : and he fell down at Jesus 5 
feet, and besought him that he would come into his 
house ; for he had one only daughter, about twelve years 
of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went, the peo- 
ple thronged him. And a woman having an issue of 
blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon 
physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind 
him and touched the border of his garment ; and im- 
mediately her issue of blood staunched. And Jesus 
said, Who touched me ? When all denied, Peter, and they 
that were with him, said, Master, the multitude throng 
thee, and press thee ; and sayest thou, Who touched 
me ? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me ; 
for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And when 
the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, 
and falling down before him, she declared unto him be- 
fore all the people, for what cause she had touched him, 
and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto 
her, Daughter, be of good comfort : thy faith hath made 
thee whole ; go in peace. While he yet spake, there 
cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, 
saying to him, Thy daughter is dead : trouble not the 
Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him 
saying, Fear not ; believe only, and she shall be made 



84 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

whole. And when he came to the house, he suffered 
no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and 
the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept 
and bewailed her ; but he said, Weep not : she is not 
dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, 
knowing that she was dead. And he put them all oufc, 
and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, 
arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straight- 
way : and he commanded to give her meat. And her 
parents were astonished : but he charged them that they 
should tell no man what was done. 

REFLECTIONS. 

Can we not see the blessed Saviour, standing in the midst 
of the group, with a look of calm, but joyful benevolence, as 
he witnesses the happiness he has produced 1 And how 
must the hearts of the family have been filled, and almost 
overpowered, by the union of awe, and love, and gratitude, 
and joy ! Blessed Jesus ! though thy life was one of suffering, 
in many an appalling form, there was one pleasure, even con- 
nected with this world, which was thine more fully than any 
other being ever possessed it, — the pleasure of doing good. 
What could have equalled the transport of thy emotions, in 
the midst of that favoured family ; and what hours of delight 
must have been thine, when thy heart overflowed at the 
thought of that happiness, which would result to thousands, 
in this and in the future world, through thy life and death ! 
May we, thy disciples, tread in the steps of our Saviour; and 
though it is not ours to bless, like thee, the eyes of mourning 
parents with the sight of their restored child, may we do our 
part in the work of usefulness, comforting the mourner, bind- 
ing up the broken hearted, relieving, with our abundance, 
the necessities of poverty, and receiving, as the earnest of our 
heavenly reward, the blessings of those that were ready to 
perish. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 85 

HYMN. 

Mrs. Gilman. 

They have watched her last and quivering breath, 

And the maiden's soul has flown ; 
They have wrapped her in the robes of death, 

And laid her, dark and lone. 

But the mother casts a look behind 

Upon that fallen flower ; 
Nay, start not, t was the passing wind, 

Those limbs have lost their power. 

And tremble not at that cheek of snow, 

Over which the faint light plays ; 
'T is only the curtain's crimson glow, 

Which thus deceives thy gaze. 

Didst thou not close that expiring eye, 

And feel the soft pulse decay 1 
And did not thy lips receive the sigh 

That bore her soul away 1 

But listen ! what name salutes her ear 1 

It comes to a heart of stone — 
" Jesus," she cries, "has no power here, 

"My daughter's life has flown." 

He leads the way to that cold v/hite couch, 

And bends o'er that senseless form. 
She breathes ! She breathes ! At his hallowed touch 

The maiden's hand is warm. 

And the fresh blood comes with its roseate hue, 
And life spreads quick through her frame ; 

Her head is raised, and her step is true, 
And she murmurs her mother's name. 
8 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 



SECTION XXVIII. 

MISSION OF THE APOSTLES. 

Matt. X. 
And when he had called unto him his twelve disci- 
ples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast 
them out, and to heal all manner of sickness, and all 
manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apos- 
tles are these : The first, Simon, who is called Peter, 
and Andrew his brother ; James the son of Zebedee, 
and John his brother ; Philip, and Bartholomew ; Tho- 
mas, and Matthew the publican ; James the son of Al- 
pheus, and Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus ; 
Simon the zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed 
him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded 
them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and 
into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. But go rather 
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, 
preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast 
out devils : freely ye have received, freely give. Pro- 
vide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass, in your purses ; 
nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, 
nor yet a staff; for the workman is worthy of his meat. 
And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire 
who in it is worthy ; aud there abide till ye go thence. 
And when ye come into a house, salute it. And if the house 
be worthy, let your peace come upon it ; but if it be 
not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever 



GOSPEL HIbTORY. 87 

shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye de- 
part out of that house, or city, shake off the dust of your 
feet. Verily, I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable 
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of judg- 
ment, than for that city. Behold, I send you forth as 
sheep in the midst of wolves : be ye therefore wise as 
serpents, and harmless as doves. 



REFLECTIONS. 

It was most important for the object of their mission, that 
the Apostles should be at peace with all men; that no 
ground of offence should be afforded by them to any ; and 
that no earthly care, no foreign pursuit, should be permitted 
to divide their attention. They are therefore warned, not 
to encumber themselves with any provision for their journey 
beyond the demands of necessity, and to accept readily th 
hospitality that might be offered. They are directed, not, 
during their stay in a city, to change their place of abode ; 
lest their great object should be forgotten, in an anxious re- 
gard to personal convenience. Our Saviour teaches us not 
to be diverted by trifles, from the pursuit of important ends ; 
to avoid, as far as possible, causes of contention with our 
fellow men; and especially to go on, in the pursuit of Chris- 
tian excellence and usefulness, undisturbed by thoughts of 
worldly advantage or disadvantage, but ever keeping our 
grand object full in view; blending, in our means for its at- 
tainment, the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness 
4)f the dove. 

HYMN. 

Behold the apostolic band, 

The servants of the Lord, 
Convey to each remotest land 

Th 7 eir master's heavenly word. 



88 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

A holy charge on them was laid, 
And well that charge they bore, 

As, trusting in their Father's aid, 
They passed from shore to shore. 

Fearless, when hostile men combined, 
They stood, in power and love ; 

And with the serpent's wisdom joined 
The mildness of the dove. 

And when disease, or sword, or flame, 
From earth had set them free, 

The souls to heaven from whence they came 
Sprang upward. Lord ! to thee. 



PART V. 



TO THE RETURN OF THE TWELVE. 



SECTION XXIX. 

RAISING OF LAZARUS. 

John xi. 1. 17. 
Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of 
Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It 
was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, 
and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus 
was sick) — Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, 
and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he 
was sick, he abode two days still in the same place 
where he was. Then after that, saith he to his disciples, 
Let us go into Judea again. Then when Jesus came, 
he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. 
Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen 
furlongs off; and many of the Jews came to Martha and 
Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then 
Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, 
went and met him ; but Mary sat still in the house. 
Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been 
here, my brother had not died ; but I know that even 
now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it 
8 * 



90 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again, 
Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again, in 
the resurrection, at the last day. Jesus said unto her, 
I am the resurrection and the life ; he that believeth in 
me, though he were dead, yet shall he live ; and who- 
soever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. Be- 
lievest thou this ? She saith unto him ; Yea, Lord ; I 
believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which 
should come into the world. And when she had so 
said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister se- 
cretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for 
thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and 
came unto him. (Now Jesus was not yet come into 
the town ; but was in that place where Martha met him.) 
The Jews then which were with her in the house, and 
comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up 
hastily, and went out, followed her saying, She goeth 
unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was 
come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at 
his feet, saying unto him ; Lord, if thou hadst been here, 
my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw 
her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came 
with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled ; 
and said, Where have ye laid him ? They say unto 
him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said 
the Jews, Behold, how he loved him ! And some of 
them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of 
the blind, have caused that even this man should not 
have died ? Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, 
cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay 
upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Then 
they took away the stone. And Jesus lift up his eyes, 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 91 

and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 
And I knew that thou nearest me always ; but because 
of the people which stand by, I said it, that they may 
believe that thou hast sent me. " And when he thus had 
spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 
He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with 
grave-clothes ; and his face was bound about with a nap- 
kin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 
Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had 
seen the things which he did, believed on him. But 
some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told 
them what things Jesus had done. 

REFLECTIONS. 

The feelings of sympathy and affection, sacred in them- 
selves, are sanctioned by the religion of Jesus. It may be 
difficult, and it can be but of little use, to say what train of 
thoughts passed through the bosom of our Lord, and to ac- 
count curiously for his shedding tears for an event which 
he was about to reverse. It is enough for us that he was 
by a friend's grave, with others weeping around him ; and 
when the fountain of tears, thrilled by whatever secret im- 
pulse, burst forth, we acknowledge there our Saviour, in 
all the loveliness of human feeling, but untainted with hu- 
man sinfulness ;' the model to which every emotion, and eve- 
ry thought should be conformed, as he was conformed to the 
will of his heavenly Father. 

Many, we are told, of those who came with Mary, believ- 
ed on him ; and well might they yield their faith, when they 
saw the tenant of the tomb for four days, come forth, a liv- 
ing man. But for us it is sufficient to pause where Jesus 
paused and wept. Powerful as was the evidence afforded by 
the raising of the dead to life, the evidence of those holy 
tears speaks more impressively. Tears are the language of 



92 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

truth. An impostor never wept, at the moment of -perpetra- 
ting a deception. 



HYMN. 

Exeter Collection. 

u See how he loved I" exclaimed the Jews, 
As tender tears from Jesus fell \ 
My grateful heart the thought pursues, 
And on the theme delights to dwell. 

See how he loved, who travelled on 
Teaching the doctrine from the skies ; 
Who bade disease and pain be gone, 
And called the sleeping dead to rise. 

See how he loved, who, firm, yet mild, 
Patient endured the scoffing tongue ; 
Though oft provoked, he ne'er reviled, 
Nor did his greatest foe a wrong. 

See how he loved, who never shrank 
From toil or danger, pain or death ; 
Who all the cup of sorrow drank, 
And meekly yielded up his breath. 

See how he loved, who died for man ; 
Who laboured thus, and thus endured, 
To finish the all-gracious plan, 
Which life and heaven to man secured. 

Such love can we, unmoved, survey 1 
Oh may our breasts with ardour glow, 
To tread his steps, his laws obey, 
And thus our warm affection show! 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 93 



SECTION XXX- 

JESUS REBUKES THE SCRIEES. 

Mark, hi. 19. 

And they went into a house. And the multitude 
cometh together again, so that they could not so much 
as eat bread. And when his friends heard of it, they 
went out to lay hold on him ; for they said, He is be- 
side himself. And the scribes, which came down from 
Jerusalem, said, He hath Beelzebub ; and, By the 
prince of the devils casteth he out devils. And he call- 
ed them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How 
can Satan cast out Satan ? And if a kingdom be divi- 
ded against itself, that kingdom cannot stand ; and if a 
house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand ; 
and if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, 
he cannot stand, but hath an end. No man can enter 
into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except 
he will first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil 
his house. Verily I say unto you, all sins shall be for- 
given unto the sons of men, and the blasphemies where- 
with soever they shall blaspheme ; but he that shall blas- 
pheme against the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness, 
but is in danger of eternal damnation. Because they 
said, He hath an unclean spirit. 

There came then his mother and his brethren ; and 
standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the mul- 
titude sat about him ; and they said unto him, Behold, 
hy mother and thy brethren without, seek for thee. 
And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or 



94 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

ray brethren ? And he looked round about on them 
which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and 
my brethren. For whosoever shall do the will of God, 
the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. 

REFLECTIONS. 

The rebuke of Jesus to the scribes, was well merited by 
the perverseness with which, since they could not deny his 
miracles, they evaded the acknowledgment of his divine 
commission, by ascribing to the agency of demons, works 
which bore the impress of the Spirit of God ; as though the 
powers of darkness could be employed in the destruction of 
their own empire, — the strong man assist in the spoiling of 
his own house ; as though works of beneficence and holiness 
could proceed from an evil source. 

A beautiful instance is afforded immediately after, of our 
Saviour's custom in applying every circumstance to the im- 
provement of those around him. "Whosoever " he ex- 
claimed, "shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, 
and my sister, and mother." Well did he express in these 
words, the warmth of affection, which united him to his 
disciples. Can we not endeavour to cherish similar feel- 
ings towards him 1 By the contemplation of his character, 
by mcdit"* : * on his life, his words and actions, can we not 
learn to feel towards him, more than we now do, as indeed a 
friend and brother 1 Thus has he permitted us to regard 
him : and who, that values what is lovely, will relinquish the 
affectionate title thus conferred 1 



Who, as the brethren of the Lord, 

May his affection claim! 
To whom on earth does Christ accord 

A parent's honoured name 1 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 95 

The pure, the humble, the sincere, 

Whose hopes are fixed above ; 
Who worship God with holy fear, 

And ardent filial love ; 

Who to the Saviour's word of grace 

With grateful warmth attend, 
Such does his loving heart embrace, 

Their brother and their friend. 

For these, in dark Gethsemane, 

His bitter tears were shed ; 
For these, upon the fatal tree, 

He bowed his patient head. * 

Brethren of Jesus, may we share 

The love that filled his breast, 
On earth his burthen joyful bear, 

Then enter to his rest. 



SECTION XXXI. 

DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 

Mark vi. 14. 
And king Herod heard of Jesus, (for his name was 
spread abroad,) and he said, That John the Baptist was 
risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew 
forth themselves in him. Others said, That it is Elias. 
And others said That it is a prophet, even as one of the 
prophets. But when Herod heard thereof, he said, 
John, whom I beheaded, is risen from the dead. — For 
Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, 
and bound him in prison, for Herodias' sake, his broth- 
er Philip's wife ; for he had married her. For John 



96 GOSPEL HISTORY* 

had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have 
thy brother's wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel 
against him, and would have killed him ; but she could 
not. For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a 
just man and an holy ; and observed him ; and when he 
heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. 
And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on 
his birth day made a supper to his lords, high captains, 
and chief estates of Galilee ; and when the daughter of 
the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased He- 
rod, and them that sat with him, the king said unto the 
damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give 
it thee. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou 
shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of 
my kingdom. And she went forth, and said unto her 
mother, What shall I ask ? And she said, The head 
of John the Baptist. And she came in straightway 
with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that 
thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John 
the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry, yet 
for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with 
him, he would not reject her. And immediately the 
king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to 
be brought. And he went and beheaded him in the 
prison ; and brought his head in a charger, and gave it 
to the damsel ; and the damsel gave it to her mother. 
And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took 
up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 97 



REFLECTIONS. 



A good man falls a victim to the caprice of a tyrant, di- 
rected by an artful and abandoned woman. We pity the 
sufferer, but do we envy his murderers 1 Could the gran- 
deur of Herod compensate for the agony he endured, when 
the soul of John had ascended to its home in heaven 1 What 
peace could the depraved Herodias find, amid the storm of 
her own passions, in the thought that a servant of God had 
been murdered by her orders, — that another had been added 
to her dark list of crimes 1 The headlong passions of men 
make their own punishment. The malevolent may infii c 
agony on others, but for every wound he gives, a fiercer pain 
sinks into his own heart. The path of happiness is that of 
rectitude, though it lie amid dangers, and terminate in a vio- 
lent and untimely death. That the length of life should be 
measured, not by its years, but its deeds, is an old observa- 
tion. He in truth lives to most advantage, who has enjoyed 
most constantly true happiness ; and this is to be found in the 
gratification of the generous and affectionate feelings, in the 
approbation of conscience, and in the love of God. 

HYMN. 

The monarch gave his edict forth, 

His ready slaves obeyed, 
The holy Baptist in his blood 

Upon the earth was laid. 

Yet who could then with envy view 

The tyrant in his pride, 
Or not the prophet's fate prefer 

Who by his order died 1 



98 GOSPEL HISTORY . 

Another's vengeance to perform, 
The bloody deed was done ; 

And now remorse and anguish sate 
With Herod on his throne. 

The prophet's soul, by earthly pain 
And care no more oppressed, 

Rejoicing to its Maker sprung, 
To heaven's eternal rest. 



PART VI. 

TO THE DEPARTURE OF JESUS FROM GALILEE. 



SECTION XXXII. 

FIVE THOUSAND MIRACULOUSLY FED. 

Mark vi. 30. 
And the apostles gathered themselves together unto 
Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, 
and what they had taught. And he said unto them, 
Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest 
a while. For there were many coming and going ; and 
they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they de- 
parted into a desert place by ship privately. And the 
people saw them departing ; and many knew him ; and 
ran afoot thither out of all cities. And when he came 
out, he saw much people, and was moved with compas- 
sion toward them, because they were as sheep, not hav- 
ing a shepherd ; and he began to teach them many 
things. And when the day was now far spent, his dis- 
ciples came unto him and said, This is a desert place, 
and now the time is far passed ; send them away, that 
they may go into the country round about, and into 
the villages, and buy themselves bread ; for they have 
nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give 



100 GOSPEL HISTURY. 

ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go 
and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give 
them to eat ? He saith unto them, How many loaves 
have ye ? Go and see. And when they knew, they say, 
Five, and two fishes. And he commanded them to 
make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. 
And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties. 
And when he had taken the five loaves, and the two 
fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake 
the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before 
them ; and the two fishes divided he among them all. 
And they did all eat and were filled. And they took up 
twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. 
And they that did eat of the loaves were five thousand 
men. 

REFLECTIONS. 

In one or two instances, and for the relief of a few thou- 
sands, was a supernatural provision made. We recognise 
the benevolence and the power thus manifested, but we pass 
by unthought of, the same divine attributes, as they are ex- 
hibited in the supply of our daily wants. Yet is that good- 
ness which refreshed for a season the weariness of an assem- 
bly, more worthy of admiration than that which created 
and sustains, age after age, millions of happy creatures, nay, 
worlds and systems without number 1 If we reverence that 
power which afforded thus a temporary supply, with what 
feelings should we contemplate that which created our beau- 
tiful world, which brought into being the various races of ani- 
mals, our own bodies "fearfully and wonderfully made," and 
our thinking and immortal spirits, — which so balanced and 
harmonized the whole of this magnificent universe, that the 
daily, hourly wants of its countless members are met by the 
operation of regular and uninterrupted laws 1 We should 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 101 

recognise the Supreme Being more as the God of Provi- 
dence, acknowledging in the air we breathe, the Sun 
which gives us light, in our daily food, our social blessings, 
the goodness and wisdom of the Author of Nature, who es- 
tablished, in the beginning, the unchanging order of the uni- 
verse. 

HYMN. 

Bishop Heber. 

Oh King of earth, and air and sea 
The hungry ravens cry to thee ; 
To thee, the scaly tribes that sweep 
The bosom of the boundless deep ; 

To thee the lions roaring call, 
The common Father, kind to all ! 
Then grant thy servants, Lord, we pray, 
Our daily bread from day to day. 

Thy bounteous hand with food can bless 
The bleak and lonely wilderness ; 
And taught by thy dear Son, we pray 
For daily bread from day to day. 

And Oh, when through the wilds we roam, 
That part us from our heavenly home ; 
When, lost in danger, want and woe, 
Our faithless tears begin to flow, 

Do thou thy gracious comfort give, 
By which alone the soul may live ; 
And grant thy servants, Lord, we pray, 
The bread of life from day to day. 

9 * 



102 GOSPEL HISTORY". 



SECTION XXXIII. 

JESUS WALKS ON THE SEA. 

Matt. xiv. 22. 
And straightway he constrained his disciples to get 
into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, 
while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had 
sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain 
apart to pray. And when the evening was come, he 
was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of 
the sea, tossed with waves ; for the wind was contrary. 
And in the fourth watch of the night, he went unto them, 
walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him 
walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a 
spirit ; and they cried out for fear. But straightway 
Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is 
I ; be not afraid. And Peter answered him, and said, 
Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down 
out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid ; 
and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord save me ! 
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and 
caught him, and said unto him, Oh thou of little faith, 
w r herefore didst thou doubt ? And when they were 
come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that 
w r ere in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a 
truth thou art the Son of God. — And when they were 
gone over, they came : nto the land of Gennesaret. And 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 103 

when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they 
sent out into all that country round about ; and brought 
unto him all that were diseased, and besought him that 
they might only touch the hem of his garment ; and as 
many as touched were made perfectly whole. 

REFLECTIONS. 

The apostle was earnest in his request for permission to 
meet his Lord on the waves ; but when the boon was grant- 
ed, his confidence failed hm. The incident shows the char- 
acter of the man ; ardent, full of confidence, but too suscep- 
tible to the impressions of the moment, and therefore liable 
to fail at the time of trial. It exhibits the character which 
at one moment prompted him to be foremost in professions 
of unvarying fidelity, and a short time afterwards left him to 
deny his master in the hall of the high priest. It is not the 
part of wisdom to rush into trials beyond our strength to 
bear. We must not, in vain self confidence, place ourselves 
in the midst of temptation ; and then forsaken by our faith, 
sink in the sea around. It is related of William of Orange, 
the deliverer of Holland, that he would tremble and turn 
pale at the distant anticipation of danger, but become cool 
and fearless as it approached. Thus should the christian 
view the dangers of his moral condition. Let him avoid 
temptation, even with fear and trembling, while it can pro- 
perly be avoided ; but when it comes, let him meet it with 
every power in readiness for exertion. Let him then listen 
no more to fear or desire, but hear alone the voice that calls 
on him to tread the waves ; not casting his terrified glance 
on the dangers around, but having the eye of faith fixed 
steadily on his Saviour. 



104 GOSPEL HISTORY. 



HYMN. 

Lord, in whose might the Saviour trod 
The dark and stormy wave ; 

And trusted in his Father's arm, 
Omnipotent to save ! 

When darkly round our footsteps rise 
The floods and storms of life, 

Send thou thy Spirit down to still 
The elemental strife. 

Strong in our trust, on thee reposed, 
The ocean path we'll dare ; 

Though waves around us rage and foam 
Since thou art present there. 



SECTION XXXIV. 

JESUS AND THE WOMAN OF CANAAN. 

Matt. xv. 21. 
Then Jesus went thence, and departedjnto the coasts 
of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan 
came out of the same coast, and cried unto him, saying, 
Have mercy on me, Oh Lord, thou son of David ; my 
daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he an- 
swered her not a word. And his disciples came and 
besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after 
us. But he answered and said, 1 am not sent but unto 
the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she 
and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me ! But he 
answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 105 

bread, and cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord ; 
yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their 
master's table. Then Jesus answered and said unto 
her, Oh woman, great is thy faith ; be it unto thee, 
even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole 
from that very hour. 

And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto 
the sea of Galilee ; and went up into a mountain, and sat 
down there. And great multitudes came unto him, hav- 
ing with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maim- 
ed, and many others ; and cast them down at Jesus' feet, 
and he healed them ; insomuch that the multitude won- 
dered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to 
be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see ; and 
they glorified the God of Israel. Then Jesus called his 
disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the 
multitude, because it is now three days that they continue 
with me, and they have nothing to eat ; and I will not 
send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. And 
his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so 
much bread in the wilderness as to fill so great a multi- 
tude ? And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves 
have ye ? And they said, Seven, and a few little 
fishes . And he commanded the multitude to sit down 
on the ground. And he took the seven loaves and the 
fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to 
his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 
And they did all eat, and were filled ; and they took up 
of the broken meat that was left, seven baskets full. And 
they that did eat were four thousand men, beside 
women and children. And he sent away the multitude, 
and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala. 



106 GOSPEL HISTORY. 



REFLECTIONS. 



The answer of Jesus to the woman of Canaan was proba- 
bly designed to exhibit more fully the humility and faith of 
his petitioner ; and great indeed must these have been, to 
frame so modest yet so touching an answer to his words. 
The dealings of Providence may seem harsh to us, as the re- 
ply of the Lord might have appeared to his humble appli- 
cant ; but it is not for us to murmur. Our tluty will be best 
fulfilled by submitting meekly to the decrees of our heavenly 
Father, while we continue, undiscouraged by past denials, to 
direct our prayers to him for what we need. Let all our pe- 
titions be presented with that humble, and untiring faith, 
which marked the answer of the Syrophenician woman, and 
those petitions will be answered. True, the blessings we 
ask may be withheld ; but we shall find, in the peace of our 
own hearts, in our increased submissiveness to the will of 
God, the answer of his spirit within us. 

HYMN. 

J. Scott. 

Happy the meek, whose gentle breast, 
Clear as the summer's evening ray, 
Calm as the regions of the blest, 
Enjoys on earth celestial day. 

His heart no broken friendships sting, 
No storms his peaceful tent invades ; 
He rests beneath the Almighty's wing, 
Hostile to none, of none afraid. 

Spirit of grace, all meek and mild ! 
Inspire our breasts, our souls possess ; 
Repel each passion, rude and wild, 
And bless us, as we aim to bless. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 107 



SECTION XXXV. 

peter's confession of christ. 

Matt. xvi. 13. 
When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi, 
he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that 
I, the Son of man, am ? And they said, Some say that 
thou art John the Baptist ; some, Elias ; and others, 
Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, 
But whom say ye that I am ? And Simon Peter an- 
swered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the 
living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, 
Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona ; for flesh and blood 
hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is 
in heaven. And I say also unto thee, that thou art 
Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church, and 
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will 
give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven ; and 
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in 
heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be 
loosed in heaven. Then charged he his disciples that 
they should tell no man, that he was the Christ. From that 
time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how 
that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things 
of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, 
and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took 
him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from 
thee, Lord ; this shall not be unto thee. But he turned 
and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan ; thou 



108 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

art an offence unto me ; for thou savourest not the 
things that be of God, but those that be of men. Then 
said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after 
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and 
follow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall 
lose it ; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, 
shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain 
the whole world, and lose his own soul ? or what shall 
a man give in exchange for his soul 5 For the Son 
of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his 
angels ; and then shall he reward every man according 
to his works. Verily I say unto you, there be some 
standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see 
the Son of man coming in his kingdom. 

REFLECTIONS. 

" Whom say ye that I ami" inquired the Saviour. The 
ardent Peter unhesitatingly replied by acknowledging 
the Messiahship of his master. But his ideas of the 
Messiah's character and kingdom were far from being cor- 
rect. He expected, under that title, an earthly king; and 
when he heard Jesus speak of his approaching death, he 
listened with incredulous surprise. He checks what he im- 
agines to be the gloomy forebodings of his master; and 
would lead him to other, and more flattering prospects, of 
earthly power and magnificence. But the holy Son of God 
repels the temptations, in the same language which repressed 
the same suggestion in the wilderness; "Get the hence, 
Tempter ! thou wouldst lead me into sin." In such words 
may the full meaning of his reply be conveyed. He saw the 
dangers, the certain death, which awaited him; he saw the 
visions of ease, and ambition glittering before him ; but his 
pure mind was unmoved by fear, unseduced by hope. With 
the glory of God and the happiness of mankind in view, he 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 109 

passed onward, conqueror over every trial, to the last great 
victory — a cruel death. 



Oh suffering friend of human kind! 
How, as the fatal hour drew near, 
Came thronging on thy holy mind 
The images of grief and fear ! 

Gethsemane's sad midnight scene, 
The faithless friends, the exulting foes, 
The thorny crown, the insult keen, 
The scourge, the cross, before thee rose. 

Did not thy spirit shrink dismayed, 

As the dark vision o'er it came ; 

And, though in sinless strength arrayed, 

Turn shuddering, from the death of shame 1 

Onward, like thee, through scorn and dread, 
May we our Father's call obey, 
Steadfast thy path of duty tread, 
And rise, through death, to endless day. 



SECTION XXXVI. 

THE TRANSFIGURATION. 

Matt. xvii. xix. 1 and 2. 
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and 
John his brother ; and bringeth them up into a high 
mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them ; 
and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was 
white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto 
10 



110 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 



them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answer- 
ed Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to 
be here ; if thou wilt, let us make here three taberna- 
cles ; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshad- 
owed them : and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which 
said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; 
hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell 
on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came 
and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 
And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no 
man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from 
the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vi- 
sion to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from 
the dead. And his disciples asked him saying, Why 
then say the scribes that Elias must first come ? And 
Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first 
come, and restore all things ; but I say unto you, that 
Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have 
done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall 
also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples 
understood that he spake unto them of John the Bap- 
tist. 

And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished 
these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into 
the coasts of Judea, beyond Jordan. And great multi- 
tudes followed him ; and he healed them there. 

REFLECTIONS. 

"This," said the voice from heaven, "this is my beloved 
Sbn, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him." With 
what awe must those three disciples after this command, 



GOSPEL HISTORY. Ill 

have attended to the instructions of their master ! He has 
passed from earth ; but there is a voice yet speaking to us 
in his life, there is a voice in his death, which, if we have 
hearts not deadened by sin, we cannot but hear. In his un- 
equalled gentleness, his affectionate resignation to the will 
of God, his patient dignity, his dying prayer for the forgive- 
ness of his murderers, there is eloquence indeed. Would 
that we could hear it, as his disciples heard ! Could we but 
gaze on the Saviour ourselves ; and in deed and truth hear 
from those blessed lips the words of eternal life ! Could we 
stand on the mount of Transfiguration, and thence go with 
him, and stand at the foot of the cross ! It may not be. 
We are not thus privileged. Yet may we read the records 
of his life, and thus at least, listen to the words of our Sa- 
viour. May we hear him, and obey ! His voice will be to 
us one of heavenly mildness. Earth will be clothed with new 
beauties, as we regain that innocence, which alone can ena- 
ble us to enjoy it truly. Heaven will expand before us in 
holier splendours, as our heart and life approach to the re- 
semblance of the purity which dwells there. 



Thou, by pain and care oppressed, 
Lift the eye with sorrow dim ; 
In thy Saviour's love find rest ; 
Child of suffering, hear thou him ! 

Trifler of the passing hour, 
Vain the pleasures earth can give ; 
Stay thy course ; thy Saviour's power 
Calls thee ; hear, and turn, and live ! 

Wanderer on the downward road, 
Far from virtue's guiding ray ; 
Turn to happiness, to God ; 
Jesus calls thee ; turn, and pray! 



112 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

Hear ye him, your Lord, your friend, 
Who to save you lived and died ; 
Hear him, and till life shall end, 
In his holy word abide. 

Fixing Faith's bright gaze above, 
Hear him, while on earth ye tread : 
Ye shall hear his tones of love, 
When the trumpet wakes the dead. 



PART VTI. 

TO THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. 



SECTION XXXVII. 
JESUS REBUKES THE ARDOUR OF HIS DISCIPLES. 

Luke ix. 51. and xix. 

And it came to pass, when the time was come that 
he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to 
go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers before his 
face ; and they went and entered into a village of the 
Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not 
receive him, because his face was as though he would go 
to Jerusalem. And when his disciples, James and John, 
saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command 
fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, 
even as Elias did ? But he turned, and rebuked them, 
and said, Know ye not what manner of spirit ye are of ? 
And they went to another village. 

And Jesus entered, and passed through Jericho. And 
behold, there was a man named Zaccheus ; which was 
the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And 
he sought to see Jesus, who he was ; and could not for 
the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran 
before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him ; 
10* 



114 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to 
the place, he looked up and saw him, and said unto him, 
Zaccheus, make haste, and come down ; for to-day I 
must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came 
down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw 
it, they all murmured, saying, that he was gone to be 
guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zaccheus stood, 
and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my 
goods I give to the poor ; and if I have taken anything 
from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 
And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to 
this house; forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham ; 
for the Son of man is come to seek and to save that 
which was lost. 

REFLECTIONS. 

" Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down 
from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did 1" How 
different is the spirit which these words evince, from that 
which one of the speakers afterwards inculcated; — "Belov- 
ed, let us love one another, for love is of God ; and every 
one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that 
loveth, not knoweth not God; for God is love. — He that 
loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love 
God, whom he hath not seen 1 ?" (1 John, iv. 7. 8. 20.) The 
apostle John is considered, and justly, as exemplifying, more 
than any, save Jesus himself, the spirit of Christian gentle- 
ness. Love to God and man seem personified in him. 
Whence was this change 1 Whence did the ardent partisan, 
designated by his Lord as a " Son of thunder," who was 
ready to call down fire from heaven on the Samaritan village, 
acquire the meekness which beams, like a glory, round " the 
disciple whom Jesus loved 1" — Whence, but from drinking 
deeply of the spirit of his Master 1 Bright example of the 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 115 

influence of Christianity ! Blessed power of Religion, to 
breathe into the fiery zealot the gentleness of the dove ! 



Anonymous. 

Great God, whose all pervading eye 
Sees every passion in my soul ! 
When sunk too low, or raised too high, 
Teach me those passions to control. 

Temper the fervours of my frame ; 
Be charity their constant spring : 
And O, let no unhallow'd flame 
Pollute the offerings which I bring. 

Let love with piety unite 

To mend the bias of my will ; 

While hope and heaven-eyed faith excite, 

And wisdom regulates my zeal. 

That wisdom which to meekness turns, 
Wisdom descending from above ; 
And let my zeal, whene'er it burns, 
Be kindled by the fire of love. 



SECTION XXXVIII. 
Christ's entry into Jerusalem. 

Luke xix. 28. 
And when he had thus spoken, he went before, as- 
cending up to Jerusalem, And it came to pass, when 
he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the 
mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his 



116 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

disciples, saying, Go ye into the village over against you ; 
in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, 
whereon yet never man sat ; loose him and bring him 
hither. And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him ? 
thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need 
of him. And they that were sent went their way, and 
found even as he had said unto them. And as they 
were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, 
Why loose ye the colt ? And they said, The Lord hath 
need of him. And they brought him to Jesus ; and they 
cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus 
thereon. And as they went, they spread their clothes 
in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at 
the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude 
of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a 
loud voice, for all the mighty works that they had seen, 
saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of 
the Lord ; peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. 
And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude 
said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he 
answered and said unto them, I tell you, that if these 
should hold their peace, the stones would immediately 
cry out. And when he was come near, he beheld the 
city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even 
thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong 
unto thy peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 
For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies 
shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, 
and keep thee in on every side ; and shall lay thee even 
with the ground, and thy children within thee ; and they 
shall not leave in thee one stone upon another ; because 
thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 117 



REFLECTIONS. 



Holy Saviour, what are thy thoughts, as weeping in thy 
hour of triumph, thou passest onward to the city of thy 
fathers 1 It was not for his own approaching death ; it was 
not for the scorn that awaited him, — for the clamours of 
the crowd, < c Crucify him, crucify him," that the tears of 
Jesus were shed. It was for his countrymen, the chosen 
people of God, about to be cast out from among the nations 
for their rejection of him. 

But now the band assumes more the appearance of a 
triumphal procession. The followers of Jesus wave their 
palm -branches in the air; the path is spread with their 
garments in honour of him whom they accompany, and the 
whole city is moved to meet him. He meantime, performs 
his part, now as in times of suffering and danger, with 
calm, collected dignity. He knows the fate that in a few 
days must be his, and he goes on to meet it as firmly as 
though he believed, with his exulting followers, that this 
was the commencement of a temporal reign. Let his equal 
mind afford an example to those who bear his name, to 
pass through every scene with unshaken self-control, 
never elated by prosperity beyond the bounds of moderate 
and grateful enjoyment, never depressed by adversity so 
far as to forget the Providence of God, or to swerve from 
the path of duty. 



HYMN. 

Bishop Heber. 

Ride on, ride on in majesty ! 
Hark! all the tribes Hosannas cry ! 
Thine humble beast pursues his road, 
With palms and scattered garments strewed. 



1.18 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

Ride on, ride on in majesty ! 

In lowly pomp ride on to die! 

Oh Christ, thy triumphs now begin 

O'er captive death and conquered sin ! 

Ride on, ride on in majesty ! 
Thy last and fiercest strife is nigh ; 
The Father on his glorious throne 
Expects his own anointed Son. 

Ride on, ride on in majesty ! 

In lowly pomp ride on to die ! 

Bow thy meek head to mortal pain, 

Then take, O Christ, thy power and reign ! 



SECTION XXXIX. 

JESUS ANOINTED AT BETHANY. 

Matt. xxvi. 

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all 
these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that 
after two days is the feast of the passover ; and the 
Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. 

Then assembled together the chief priests, and the 
scribes, and the Elders of the people, unto the palace 
of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas ; and con- 
sulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and 
kill him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest 
there be an uproar among the people. 

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of 
Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman 
having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 



119 



poured it on his head as he sat at meat. But when 
his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To 
what purpose is this waste ? For this ointment might 
have been sold for much, and given to the poor. 
When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why 
trouble ye the woman ? for she hath wrought a good 
work upon me. For ye have the poor always with 
you ; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath 
poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my 
burial. Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this gos- 
pel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall 
also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a me- 
morial of her. 

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, 
went uuto the chief priests, and said unto them, What 
will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you ? 
And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of sil- 
ver. And from that time he sought opportunity to 
betray him. 

REFLE CTIONS. 

From the account of John (xn. 3.) it appears that she who 
thus expressed her gratitude to Jesus, was Mary, the sister 
of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead, and that the 
censorious remark proceeded from the traitor, Judas Iscariot. 
His language affords an instance of that species of narrow- 
mindedness, by which nothing is considered useful, except 
as it directly supports life, or relieves absolute want. Our 
Saviour's reply shows that such was not his principle. 
He did not approve the spirit, which would excuse itself 
from honouring a benefactor, on the plea that gratitude would 
be too expensive. Frugality is indeed a virtue ; but there 
is a point, to which if it be carried, it loses that character 



120 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

and assumes the opposite ; destroying hospitality and the 
charms of social life, narrowing the mind, and fixing it, 
with disgraceful keenness of perception, on the smallest 
gains. Much has the command of our Lord been insisted 
on, " Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be 
lost;" and rightly; for that care of temporal concerns, 
which from present abundance wisely provides against fu- 
ture need, is a duty sanctioned alike by reason and scrip- 
ture. But while we impress that precept on our minds, 
let it be remembered that he from whom it came approved 
the munificent demonstration of gratitude, made to him by 
the sister of him he loved. 



See the grateful sister bending 

O'er her much-loved Saviour's form ; 
While her thanks to heaven ascending, 

From her heart burst pure and warm. 
For his mercy, prompt to save, 

Doth she bless her heavenly Lord, 
For a brother from the grave 

To the light of life restored. 

Who shall blame the kind oblation, 

Perfumes rich, profusely shed 1 
No ! Through each remotest nation 

Shall her grateful fame be spread ! 
Fair the diamond's star-like blaze, 

Through the dark mine richly strewed ; 
Fairer far the gentle rays 

Of the Christian's gratitude. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 121 



SECTION XL. 

INSTITUTION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 

Matt xxvi. 17. 
Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, 
the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where 
wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover ? 
And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say 
unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand ; I 
will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. 
And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them ; 
and they made ready the passover. Now when the even 
was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they 
did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of 
you shall betray me. And they were exceeding 
sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto 
him, Lord, is it I ? And he answered and said, He 
that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same 
shall betray me. The Son of man goeth, as it is 
written of him ; but woe unto that man by whom the 
Son of man is betrayed ! it had been good for that 
man if he had not been born. Then Judas, which be- 
trayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I ? He 
said unto him ; Thou hast said. And as they were 
eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, 
and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat ; this 
is my body. And he took the cup and gave thanks, 
and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it ; for 
this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed 
11 



122 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

for many, for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, 
I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, 
until that day when I drink it new with you in my 
Father's kingdom. 

REFLECTIONS. 

We may acquaint ourselves with the feelings, to per- 
petuate which the Supper of the Lord was instituted, by 
contemplating an assembly of his disciples, in subsequent 
years, when time had dimmed in their memory the image 
of their Lord, and what once were facts transacted in their 
presence, had assumed the colder form of doctrines. But 
imagine them gathering in Jerusalem for the celebration of 
the service which he instituted, around the table at which he 
once presided, repeating the words he once spoke. They 
raise to their lips in turn that cup of which he had said, 
"This do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." 
And is not their master then among them ; and do not they 
once more hear his voice, and see the look of benignity 
with which he said on that memorable night, "I will not 
leave you comfortless ; I will come unto you : yet a lit- 
tle while and the world seeth me no more, but ye see we?" 
Yes ! at such moments must that prediction indeed have 
been verified. At such moments may we yet experience its 
truth. As we engage in the service of Christian communion, 
the intervening centuries vanish, and the Saviour and his 
disciples rise before us ; we hear the professions of the 
ardent Peter ; we see the affectionate John, leaning on 
his master's breast. Often let us seek their presence, and 
gaze, delighted, on the living f* Image of the Invisible God." 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 123 

HYMN. 
Montgomery. 

According to thy gracious word, 

In meek humility, 
This will I do, my dying Lord, 

I will remember thee. 

Thy body, broken for my sake, 

My bread from heaven shall be ; 
The testamental cup I take, 

And thus remember thee. 

Gethsemane can I forget 1 

Or there thy conflict see, 
Thine agony and bloody sweat, 

And not remember thee 1 

When to the cross I turn mine eyes, 

And rest on Calvary, 
Oh Lamb of God, my sacrifice ! 

I must remember thee : 

Remember thee, and all thy pains, 

And all thy love to me ; 
Yea, while a breath, a pulse remains 

Will I remember thee. 

And when these failing lips grow dumb, 

And mind and memory flee, 
When thou shalt in thy kingdom come, 

Thou wilt remember me. 



124 GOSPEL HISTORY. 



SECTION XLI. 

JESUS WASHES THE DISCIPLES' FEET. 

John xiii 1. and 33. 
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus 
knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out 
of this world unto the Father, having loved his own 
which were in the world, he loved them unto the end ; 
and supper being ended, (the devil having now put it into 
the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,) 
Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his 
hands, and that he was come from God, and went to 
God ; he riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, 
and took a towel, and girded himself; after that, he 
poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the dis- 
ciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith 
he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter ; and 
Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet ? 
Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou 
knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter 
saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus 
answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with 
me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet 
only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to 
him, He that isVashed needeth not save to wash his feet, 
but is clean every whit ; and ye are clean, but not all. 
For he knew who should betray him ; therefore said he, 
Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, 
and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 125 

said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you. Ye 
call me Master and Lord ; and ye say well, for so I am. 
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, 
ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have 
given you an example, that ye should do as I have done 
to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is 
not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater 
than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy 
are ye, if ye do them. 

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye 
shall seek me ; and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I 
go, ye cannot come, so now I say unto you. A new 
commandment I give unto you, that ye love one anoth- 
er ; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, 
if ye have love one to another. Simon Peter said unto 
him, Lord, whither goest thou ? Jesus answered him, 
whither I go, thou canst not follow me now ; but thou 
shalt follow me afterward. Peter said unto him, Lord, 
why cannot I follow thee now ? Twill lay down my life 
for thy sake. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down 
thy life for my sake ? Verily, verily, I say nnto thee, 
the cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice. 

REFLECTIONS. 

This passage affords a very striking instance of our Lord's 
manner of illustrating and impressing a principle ; and what 
an example does it afford of noble humility ! It is not with- 
out reference to his subject that the apostle John commences 
this chapter by referring to the situation and feelings of the 
Saviour at the time. " Jesus knew that his hour was come ;" 
and if at any time his mind might naturally be filled exclu- 
sively with thoughts of himself and his own sufferings, it 
11 * 



126 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

might be then. But no. His love for his disciples yielded 
not in the prospect of death. " Having loved his own which 
were in the world, he loved them unto the end." He would 
give them, before he went to his Father, a lesson of love ; 
a lesson which they should long remember, of that love 
which he had felt for them, and which he desired that they 
should feel towards each other. He " knew that the father 
had given all things into his hands, and that he was come 
from God, and went to God;" but exalted as he was, he 
hesitated not to perform a menial office to his followers, that 
they might remember and feel more deeply the lesson he de- 
signed to convey. Oh where is pride 1 Where is the haugh- 
tiness of station or of birth 1 Do they not shrink into noth- 
ingness at the contemplation of the Son of God employed in 
such an office of holy humility 1 

HYMN. 

And dost thou deign, my blessed Lord, 
Arrayed in power and love divine, 
Thus humbly to enforce thy word, 
And let thy meekness foster mine! 

May thy meek spirit far jemove 
From my frail heart, insensate pride ! 
And grant my days, with humble love 
To God and man, in peace to glide. 

May never hate this breast annoy, 
And never scorn within it burn, 
Nor envy at another's joy 
Its springs to bitter waters turn. 

Let me with thee the path pursue 
Thy love and heavenly mildness trod, 
Till brighter scenes the course renew, 
In glory from the throne of God. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 127 



SECTION XLIL 

PRATER IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE. 

Matt. xxvi. 36. 
Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called 
Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, 
while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him 
Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be 
sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto fhem, 
My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death ; tarry 
ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little far- 
ther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, Oh my 
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me ; 
nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he 
cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and 
saith unto Peter, What ! could ye not watch with me 
one hour ? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into 
temptation ; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is 
weak. He went away again the second time, and pray- 
ed, saying, Oh my Father, if this cup may not pass 
away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 
And he came and found them asleep again ; (for their 
eyes were heavy ;) and he left them, and went away 
again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 
Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, 
Are ye sleeping on now, and taking your rest ? behold, 
the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into 
the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going ; behold, he 
is at hand that doth betray me. And while he yet spake, 



128 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great 
multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests 
and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him 
gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, 
that same is he ; hold him fast. And forthwith he came 
to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master ; and kissed him. And 
Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come ? 
Then came they and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. 
And behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretch- 
ed out his hand, and drew his sword ; and struck a ser- 
vant of the high priest, and smote off his ear. Then said 
Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place ; 
for all they that take the sword shall perish with the 
sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my 
Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve 
legions of angels ? But how then shall the scripture be 
fulfilled ? for thus it must be. In the same hour said Je- 
sus to the multitudes, Ye are come out as against a thief, 
with swords and staves for to take me ; I sat daily with 
you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me ; 
but all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets 
might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, 
and fled. 

REFLECTIONS. 

Our Saviour's perfect foreknowledge of his approaching 
doom, imparted the depth of agony to an hour like this, when 
all was removed which could keep from his mind the dark 
image that rose before it. In the midnight silence of Geth- 
semane, and with no one near him but his slumbering apostles, 
he had a foretaste in its full bitterness, of that cup of woe, 
which awaited him [on the morrrow. We may well doubt 
how far the reality of bodily pain exceeded the mental an- 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 129 

guish, now imparted by the fearfully distinct anticipation of 
his sufferings. A new pang too was inflicted on him by the 
insensibility of his followers. He could not derive strength 
from their sympathy, for they understood not yet his charac- 
ter or his destiny. While he prayed in agony, they were 
sleeping. There was but One Being in the universe to whom 
he could look for aid or consolation, his Father in heaven. 
And how, even in that darkest hour, did the holy mind of 
Jesus triumph over the strength of agony ! Language is 
vain to describe, it can but detract from the impressiveness 
of the scene. All that can be said, all that can be felt, of the 
strength of human suffering, and the still greater strength of 
faith, is comprised in his brief prayer, <c Oh my Father, if it 
be possible, let this cup pass from me ; nevertheless, not as I 
will, but as thou wilt." 



Christian Disciple. 

Faint not, poor traveller, though thy way 
Be rough like that thy Saviour trod ; 
Though cold and stormy lower the day, 
This path of suffering leads to God. 

Nay, sink not, though from every limb 
Are starting drops of toil and pain ; 
Thou dost but share the lot of him, 
With whom his followers are to reign. 

Christian ! thy friend, thy master prayed, 
While dread and anguish shook his frame ; 
Then met his sufferings undismayed ; 
Wilt thou not strive to do the same 1 

Oh, think'st thou that his Father's love 
Shone round him then with fainter rays, 
Than now, when, throned all height above. 
Unceasing voices hymn his pTaisel 



130 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

Go, sufferer, calmly meet the woes, 
Which God's own mercy bids thee bear ; 
Then, rising as thy Saviour rose, 
Go, his eternal victory share. 



SECTION XLIII. 

JESUS BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST. 

Matt. xxvi. 57. 
And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to 
Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders 
were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off, unto the 
high priest's palace, and went, and sat with the servants to 
see the end. Now the chief priests and elders, and all 
the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put 
him to death. But they found none, though many false 
witnesses came. At the last came two false witnesses, 
and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the tem- 
ple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high 
priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou noth- 
ing ? What is it which these witness against thee ? But 
Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and 
said unto him, I adjure thee, by the living God, that 
thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said. Nevertheless I say 
unto you, hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting 
on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of 
heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, 
He hath spoken blasphemy ; what further need have we 
of witnesses ? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphe- 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 131 

my, What think ye. They answered and said, He is guilty 
of death. Then did they spit in" his face, and buffeted 
him ; and others smote him with the palms of their 
hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is 
he that smotethee ? 

Now Peter sat without in the palace. And a damsel 
came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of 
Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know 
not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into 
the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them, 
that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Naz- 
areth. And again he denied with an oath ; I do not know 
the man. And after a while came unto him they that 
stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of 
them, for thy speech bewray eth thee. Then began he 
to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And 
immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered 
the words of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the 
cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, 
and wept bitterly. 

REFLECTIONS. 

Let us do justice to the the great apostle, whose melan- 
choly fall is here recorded. The temptation to which he 
yielded, assumed a form different from his anticipations, and 
for which consequently he was unprepared. When he ex- 
claimed, " Though I should die with thee, yet will I not de- 
ny thee," he thought not of any trials save those of personal 
fear ; and those he knew that he could resist. Had danger 
alone been before him, he would have followed willingly, 
as he followed in his after years, to prison and to death. 
But when he saw his [master tried as a criminal before the 



132 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

rulers of his nation, to whom he had ever been used to 
look up with awe, when the miraculous power of Jesus 
seemed withdrawn, and Jesus himself abandoned alike by 
heaven and earth to the wrath of his enemies, then the faith 
of the disciple was shaken ; with his faith, his courage fled ; 
and that very ardour which prompted his bold assertions of 
fidelity, now hurried him to falshood and perjury. 

But " the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter." The 
voice of Jesus had stilled the waves of the sea. Now, at his 
look, the wilder waves of passion were hushed in the bosom 
of his disciple ; all but deep and bitter remorse, and love 
which would now make him indeed ready to die with his 
master, rather than deny him. "He went out, and wept 
bitterly." To him much was forgiven, for he loved much; 
and a life spent in steadfast endurance in his master's cause, 
was at length crowned by a martyr's glorious death. 



HYMN. 

Weep not for those, in Christ who sleep, 

Within the cold grave's dreamless bed. 
Their rest is calm, and angels keep 

Watch o'er each heaven-beloved head. 
Their strife is closed, their crown is won; 

To realms of bliss their spirits soar, 
And, near their heavenly Father's throne, 

Live in his smile, to die no more. 

But weep for those, who here below, 

Through trial's stormy ocean steer ; 
Who mid the mountain billows go, 

By hope misled, or driven by fear. 
And oh, for him, in danger's hour 

Whose heart hath sunk, whose faith is dim, 
Who falls before the tempter's power, 

Weep, child of frailty, weep for him. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 133 

Yet, in the hour of guilt and shame, 

Jesus, thy glance could bring relief, 
The wandering spirit could reclaim, 

And ope the source of hallowed grief. 
Thus, when we leave thy heavenly way, 

Lord, may the love, the thought of thee, 
Subdue each sinful passion's sway, 

And, in thy spirit, make us free. 



SECTION XLIV. 

JESUS BEFORE PILATE. 

John xviii. 27. and xix. 
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of 
judgment ; and it was early. And they themselves went 
not into the judgment hall, lest they should be denied, 
but that they might eat the passover. Pilate then went 
out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye 
against this man ? They answered and said unto him, 
If he were not a malefactor we would not have delivered 
him up unto thee. Then said Pilate unto them, Take 
ye him, and judge him according to your law. The 
Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to 
put any man to death. That the saying of Jesus might 
be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he 
should die. Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall 
again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou 
the King of the Jews ? Jesus answered him, Sayest 
thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of 
me ? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew ? Thine own natioa 
and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me ; what 
12 



134 GOSPEL HISTORY, 

hast thou done ? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of 
this world ; if my kingdom were of this world, then 
would my servants fight, that I should not have been de- 
livered to the Jews ; but now is my kingdom not from 
hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king 
then ? Jesus answered, Thou sayest truth ; for I am a 
king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came 
I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the 
truth. Every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice. 
Pilate saith unto him, What is truth ? And when he had 
said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto 
them, I find no fault in him at all. But ye have a cus- 
tom that I should release unto you one at the passover ; 
will ye, therefore, that I release unto you the King of the 
Jews ? Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, 
but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. 

Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. 
And the soldiers platted a crown "of thorns, and put it on 
his head, and they put on him a purple robe, and said, 
Hail, King of the Jews ! And they smote him with their 
hands. Pilate went forth again, and saith unto them, 
Behold I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that 
I find no fault in him. (Then came Jesus forth, wear- 
ing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe.) And 
Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man ! When the 
chief priest therefore and officers saw him, they cried out 
saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, 
Take ye him, and crucify him ; for I find no fault in 
him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by 
our law he ought to die, because he made himself the 
Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, 
he was the more afraid, and went again into the judgment 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 135 

hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou. But Jesus 
gave him no answer. Then saith Pilate unto him, Speak- 
est thou not unto me ? Knowest thou not that I have 
power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee ? 
Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all 
against me, unless it were given thee from above ; there- 
fore, he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. 

REFLECTIONS. 

What a contrast is presented in this scene, between the 
judge, and the holy prisoner before him. In Pilate we see 
an inclination to do right, struggling ineffectually with the 
maxims of a cold-hearted policy ; and from the high station 
which he holds, he sinks to be an object of pity and indigna- 
tion ; pity for his vacillating weakness, when the path of duty 
lay plain before him, — indignation at the crime into which he 
suffers himself to be led. Before this timorous yet unjust 
judge, stands the Saviour of mankind, acknowledging calmly 
the power which the Governor possesses over him, as a pow- 
er derived from God, and submitting therefore to the decree 
of Providence. With the unaffected dignity of innocence, 
he describes the spiritual nature of his kingdom, and declares 
the object for which he came into the world. Did not a 
feeling of the beauty of holiness enter the mind of Pilate, as 
he listened to his prisoner 1 The proud and politic Roman 
felt the nobler feelings of his nature awakened from their long 
slumber, and sought to release the man whom he could not 
but revere and love. But he dared not to meet the clamours 
of the populace, and the indignation of his jealous superiors. 
The fear of man brought a snare upon him. The remon- 
strances of conscience were hushed, and he decreed the death 
of Jesus. 



136 GOSPEL HISTORY. 



In Pilate's hall, by scornful Pharisees 
Surrounded, and by dark-browed Roman bands- 
Before the procurator's footstool stands 

The Son of God, the glorious Prince of Peace. 

Alone he stands, his followers all have fled ; 
In mockery o'er his limbs a robe is thrown 
Of regal purple ; and a thorny crown 

Appears in scorn upon his sacred head. 

But calm he spake ; From God my cause proceeds : 
Without bis will thou canst not harm a hair 
Upon my brow ; then patient will I bear 

The unrighteous punishment of holy deeds. 

I am a king, but not with mortal state. 

He said, and humbly died, the greatest of the great - 

And oh, what beams of dignity and love 
Flowed o'er his sacred features, as he stood 
Calmly, amid the foes who sought his blood, 

His eyes upturning to his home above ! 

The haughty judge in admiration gazed, 
And spoke him guiltless ; but the frantic crowd 
Demand their victim's death, with clamors loud. 

As the fierce scribes their stormy passions raised. 

Follower of Jesus ! learn of him to bear 
Unmoved, the fury of victorious foes ; 
Though shame environ thee, and anguish close 

Thy dying eyes, yet shrink not ; thou dost share 

Thy Master's suiferings ; thou shalt share his rest j 

Oh, learn of him to live, to die, and to be blest. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. l37 

SECTION XLV. 

THE CRUCIFIXION. 

John xix. 12. 

And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him. 
But the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, 
thou art not Cesar's friend ; whosoever maketli himself 
a king, speaketh against Cesar. When Pilate therefore 
heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down 
in the judgment seat, in a place that is called the 
pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha ; (and it was 
the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth 
hour ;) and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King ! 
But they cried out, Away with him ; away with him ; 
crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify 
your King ? The chief priests answered, We have no 
king but Cesar. Then delivered he him therefore 
unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and 
led him away. 

And he, bearing his cross, went forth into a place 
called the place of a skull, which is called in the 
Hebrew, Golgotha ; where they crucified him, and 
two others with him ; on either side one, and Jesus in 
the midst. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the 
cross. And the writing was, jesus of nazareth, the 
king of the jews. This title then read many of the 
Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh 
to the city ; and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, 
and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to 
Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews ; but that he 
l'JB* 



138 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What 
I have written, I have written. — Then the soldiers, 
when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, (and 
made four parts, to every soldier a part,) and also his 
coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from 
the top throughout. They said therefore among them- 
selves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it 
shall be. That the scripture might be fulfilled, which 
saith, They parted my garments among them, and for 
my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore 
the soldiers did. — Now there stood by the cross of 
Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the 
wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus 
therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by 
whom be loved, he sailh unto his mother, Woman, 
behold thy son ! Then he saith to the disciple, Be- 
hold thy mother ! And from that hour that disciple 
took her unto his own home. 



REFLECTIONS. 

If the Christian were called on to mention the most 
touching incident in the history of his Redeemer, would he 
not name this, — the recommendation of his mother to the 
care of his beloved disciple 1 We see the Saviour, at the 
moment of extremest pain, a moment when personal suffer- 
ing might well absorb every other feeling. But his mother 
is standing near him, his mother, soon to be left desolate 
in a world which would look upon her with scorn, as the 
parent of one who had been crucified. The agony of death 
yields for a moment to the strength of filial affection, and 
Jesus consigns his mother to his faithful friend. The 
centurion, when he saw the earthquake, and those things 
that were done, said, " Truly, this was the Son of God ! ■ 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 139 

We see not these things, but we hear the voice, we see the 
feelings of the sufferer himself, and we need no other proof. 
Religion can never manifest itself in a form more lovely, 
than when combined with the exercise of the social duties, 
the affections of the parent, the child, the friend. Where 
these duties are performed, these affections cultivated 
aright, there must religion be present, unseen perhaps, 
except in its effects, but regulating actions, words and 
thoughts, making this life happy, and preparing him in 
whose breast it dwells, for the happiness of heaven. 



HYMN. 

Montgomery. 

The morning dawns upon the place 
Where Jesus spent the night in prayer : 
Through yielding glooms behold his face; 
Nor form, nor comeliness is there. 

Last eve by those he called his own, 
Betrayed, forsaken, or denied, 
He met his enemies alone, 
In all their malice, rage, and pride. 

No guile within his mouth is found, 
He neither threatens nor complains ; 
Meek as a lamb for slaughter bound, 
Dumb midst his murd'rers he remains. 

But hark ! he prays, — 't is for his foes ; 
He speaks, — 't is comfort to his friends ; 
Answers, — and Paradise bestows ; 
He bows his head; — the conflict ends. 

Truly this was the Son of God ! 
Though in a servant's mean disguise, 
And bruised beneath the Father's rod ; 
Not for himself, — for man he dies. 



140 GOSPEL HISTORY. 



SECTION XLVI. 

DEATH OF JESUS. 



Luke xxiii. 34. 39. 

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them ; for they 
know not what they do. — And one of the malefactors, 
which were hanged, railed on him, saying, If thou be 
Christ, save thyself and us. The other, answering, 
rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, see- 
ing thou art in the same condemnation ? And we 
indeed justly ; for we receive the due reward of our 
deeds ; but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he 
said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest 
into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I 
say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. 
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a dark- 
ness over all the earth, until the nyith hour. And the 
sun was darkened ; and the vail of the temple was rent 
in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud 
voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend 
my spirit. And having said thus, he gave up the 
ghost. 

Now, when the centurion saw what was done, he 
glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous 
man. And all the people that came together to that 
sight, beholding the things which were done, smote 
their breasts and returned. And all his acquaintances, 
and the woman that followed him from Galilee, stood 
afar off, beholding these things. — And behold, a man 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 



141 



named Joseph, a counsellor, a good man, and a just, 
(the same had not consented to the counsel and deed 
of them,) of Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who also 
himself waited for the kingdom of God ; this man went 
unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he 
took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a 
sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man 
before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and 
the Sabbath drew on. 

REFLECTIONS. 

It has been well remarked, that one instance of forgive- 
ness at the hour of death is recorded, that we should not 
despair; but only one, that we should not presume. We 
can however hardly suppose the man who now spoke, to 
have been long versed in crime. His faith in the Saviour, 
at a moment when our Lord's disciples had deserted him, 
and the victory of his enemies seemed complete, is an evi- 
dence almost conclusive to the contrary. Jesus, ever full 
of compassion, could, even at that awful moment, feel for 
his fellow sufferer, though a robber. Though extended on 
the cross, in the deepest agony, he had not lost either the 
power or the will to bless. He could still give a word of 
kindness and hope, a gracious promise to the humble pe- 
titioner. 

But the struggle soon closed, and the Saviour of the world 
sunk in death, murdered by those whom he came to bless. 
Follower of Jesus, he died that you might live. Thoughtless 
neglecter of his religion, he died for you ; and how will you 
free yourself from the reproach of . ingratitude 1 If we had 
stood near his cross, and witnessed the final scene, could we 
ever obliterate the impression 1 Could we forbear to love 
and to obey him 1 And now, though intervening centuries 
have weakened in some respects, the impression of his death, 
they have developed more fully its influence on the world. 



142 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

To the dying love of Jesus we owe the blessings of educa- 
tion, refinement, morals, religion. Are we then uninter- 
ested in the great event 1 Oh let us give our hearts to him 
who gave his life for us! 



In the Saviour's hour of death, 

Bound upon the cross of fear, 
While his quick and struggling breath 

Spoke the fatal moment near ; 
Then his glance a felon turned, 

Suffering at the sufferer's side, 
And the grace which others spurned 

Sought in prayer, and found, and died. 

Sighs of parting anguish came 

From the Saviour's laboring breast ; 
But though torture thrilled his frame, 

He could yield the afflicted rest ; 
And a transient, heavenly smile 

Beamed upon his pallid face, 
As his anguish, for a while, 

Gave to love and pity place. 

Matchless love, supreme in death! 

Pity, in affliction shown! 
Be their praise o'er earth beneath, 

And through heavenly regions known. 
Men their grateful songs shall swell, 

For their Saviour's love divine ; 
In our hearts his spirit dwell, 

In our lives his influence shine. 



PART VIII. 



TO THE ASCENSION OF JESUS, 



SECTION XLVII. 
THE RESURRECTION. 

John xx. 
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene 
early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre ; and 
seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then 
she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the 
other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, 
They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, 
and we know not where they have laid him. Peter 
therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came 
to the sepulchre. So they ran both together ; and that 
other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the 
sepulchre. And he, stooping down, and looking in, 
saw the linen clothes lying ; yet went he not in. Then 
cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the 
sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the nap- 
kin that was about his head, not lying with the linen 
clothes, but wrapped up together in a place by itself. 
Then went in also that other disciple which came first to 
the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet 



144 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again 
from the dead. Then the disciples went away again 
unto their own home. But Mary stood without at the 
sepulchre weeping. And as she wept, she stooped 
down and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two an- 
gels in white, sitting, the one at the head, and the. other 
at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And 
they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou ? She 
saith unto them, Because they have taken away my 
Lord, and I know ^ not where they have laid him. 
When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and 
saw Jesus standing ; and knew not that it was Jesus. 
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou ? 
whom seekest thou? She supposing him to be the 
gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him 
hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take 
him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned 
herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni ; which is to say, 
Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not ; for I am 
not yet ascended to my Father ; but go to my brethren, 
and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your 
Father, and to my God and your God. Mary Magda- 
lene came, and told the disciples that she had seen the 
Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. 

REFLECTIONS. 

The great event, the death of Jesus, has taken place. It 
is followed by one, in some points of view still greater. The 
Saviour rises from the tomb. Till that moment, his ene- 
mies had appeared to triumph, but now the power of the 
Almighty is manifested, and all other powers sink to noth- 
ing. Until that moment, doubt might have questioned the 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 145 

possibility of a resurrection from the dead, but all doubt 
vanishes, as the Lord Jesus, " the first fruits of them that 
sleep, " bursts the confinement of the grave. Thus shall his 
followers rise ; " Those that sleep in Jesus shall God bring 
with him. 5 ' Thus " all that are in their graves shall hear the 
voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. 5 ' 
The christian sees in the resurrection of his Saviour the ear- 
nest of his own. How then, should we ask ourselves, how 
shall we rise, when the sleep of death is broken % Shall it be 
to light and glory, as our Lord arose 1 Shall it be to join the 
company of the just made perfect 1 Can we have even now, 
a steadfast hope that such will be the case 1 If so, happy 
are we, for to us death has lost its terrific nature; it is no 
longer the extinction of existence, but only a step, — the lift- 
ting of a curtain, — the passing a projecting rock, which dis- 
closes to us but another and brighter scene of our unbroken 
and endless being. 

HYMN. 

Rev. H. Ware Jr. 
Lift your glad voices in triumph on high, 
For Jesus hath risen, and man cannot die. 

Vain were the terrors that gathered around him 

And short the dominion of death and the grave ; 

He burst from the fetters of darkness that bound him 

Resplendent in glory, to live and to save. 
Loud was the chorus of angels on high, 
€ The Saviour hath risen, and man shall not die.' 

Glory to God, in full anthems of joy ; 

The being he gave us, death cannot destroy. 
Sad were the life we must part with tomorrow, 
If tears were our birthright, and death were our end ; 
But Jesus hath cheered the dark valley of sorrow 
And bade us, immortal, to heaven ascend. 

Lift then your voices in triumph on high, 

For Jesus hath risen, and man shall not die. 
13 



146 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

SECTION XLVIII. 

JESTJS APPEARS TO HIS DISCIPLES. 

Luke xxiv. 13. 
And behold, two of them went that same day to a vil- 
lage called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about 
threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all 
these things which had happened. And it came to pass 
that, while they communed together, and reasoned, 
Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But 
their eyes were holden, that they should not know 
him. And he said nnto them, What manner of commu- 
nications are these that ye have one to another, as ye 
walk, and are sad ? And the one of them, whose name 
was Cleopas, answering, said unto him, Art thou only a 
stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things 
which are come to pass there in these days ? And 
he said unto them, What things ? And they said 
unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a 
prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and ■ all 
the people ; and how the chief priests and our rulers de- 
livered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified 
him. But we trusted that it had been he which should 
have redeemed Israel ; and besides all this to-day is the 
third day since these things were done. Yea, and cer- 
tain women also of our company made us astonished, 
whi:h were early at the sepulchre ; and when they found 
not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 147 

a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And 
certain of them which were with us, went to the sepul- 
chre, and found it even so as the women had said ; but 
him they saw not. Then he said unto them, Oh fools, and 
slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken ! 
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to 
enter into his glory ? And beginning at Moses, and all 
the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scrip- 
tures the things concerning himself. And they drew 
nigh unto the village whither they went ; and he made 
as though he would have gone further. But they con- 
strained him, saying, Abide with us, for it is toward even- 
ing, and the day is far spent. And he went in to 
tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat 
at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, 
and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were 
opened, and they knew him ; and he vanished out of 
their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our 
heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, 
and while he opened to us the scriptures ? And they 
rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem ; and 
found the eleven gathered together, and them that were 
with them, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath 
appeared to Simon. And they told what things were 
done in the way, and how he was known of them in 
breaking of bread. — And as they thus spake, he himself 
stood in the midst of them ; and saith unto them, Peace 
be unto you. 

REFLECTIONS. 

" Did not our heart burn within us by the way T" May 
we not all look back upon hours in our own lives which an- 



148 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

swer to this description of the disciples' feelings 1 There are 
times when our hearts hold converse with a Being whom they 
do not comprehend, when a feeling of solemn thought comes 
over them, and they seem in the presence of something in- 
describably holy. It was thus with the disciples, as they 
trod, with their unknown master, the path to Emmaus. It is 
at such times that the Spirit of God is holding converse with 
our spirits. Let us not silence its whisperings by permitting 
the loud voice of the world to make them unheard ; but in 
solitude, "commune with our own hearts," and with our 
Maker; " and be still." We shall find the thoughtlessness 
of our natures corrected by the exercise. We shall find virtu- 
ous principle acquiring strength, and the force of headlong 
impulse weakened. The things which before were hard to 
our minds in the dispensations of Providence, will become 
easy to understand, and doubt will give place to adoring faith 
and love ; as the sadness and ignorance which hung over the 
minds of the disciples, gave way as the Saviour instructed 
them from the Scriptures, in the prophecies relating to him- 
self. 



Hath not thy heart within thee burned 
At evening's calm and holy hour, 
As if its inmost depths discerned 
The presence of a loftier power 1 

Hast thou not heard, 'mid forest glades,. 
While ancient rivers murmured by, 
A voice from forth the eternal shades, 
That spake a present Deity 1 

And as, upon the sacred page, 
Thine eye in rapt attention turned 
O'er records of a holier age, 
Hath not thy heart within thee burned I 



GOSPEL HISTORY. ] 49 

It was the voice of God, that spake 
In silence to thy silent heart ; 
And bade each worthier thought awake, 
And every dream of earth depart. 

Voice of our God, Oh yet be near ! 

In low, sweet accents whisper peace : 

Direct us on our pathway here, 

Then bid in heaven our wanderings cease. 



SECTION XLIX. 

Christ's charge to peter. 

john xxi. 1. and 15. 
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the 
disciples at the sea of Tiberias. And on this wise show- 
ed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and 
Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Gal- 
ilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his dis- 
ples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. 
They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went 
forth, and entered into a ship immediately, and that night 
they caught nothing. But when the morning was now 
come, Jesus stood on the shore ; but the disciples knew 
not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Chil- 
dren, have ye any meat ? They answered him, No. 
And he said unto them, cast the net on the right side of 
the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and 
now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of 
fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith 
unto Peter, It is the Lord. 
13* 



150 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, 
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these ? 
He saith unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love 
thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith 
to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest 
thou me ? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest 
that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 
He saith unto him the third time, Simon son of Jonas, 
lovest thou me ? Peter was grieved because he said un- 
to him the third time, Lovest thou me ? And he said 
unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things ; thou knowest 
that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, when thou wast young, 
thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou would- 
est ; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth 
thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee 
whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying 
by what death he should glorify God. And when he had 
spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Then Pe- 
ter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved, 
following ; (which also leaned on his breast at supper, 
and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee ?) Peter 
seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man 
do ? Jesus saith unto him ; If I will that he tarry till I 
come, what is that to thee ? Follow thou me. 



REFLE CTIONS. 

" Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me 1" There was oc- 
casion for the question ; for Peter, though at first loudest in 
his professions, had violated them all, by the denial of his 
master. But may not we apply to ourselves the interrogation 



GOSPEL HISTORT. 151 

of our Lord 1 It may be that we too have professed to love 
him ; but alas, our resolutions, like those of the apostle, have 
failed in the day of temptation. We have denied our Sa- 
viour, not once, but often; denied him by turning away, unin- 
terested, from the thoughts of him ; denied him by our sins. 
Let us recall then to our memory the question of Jesus, " Lov- 
estthou me 1" May it recur to us in adversity; " Lovest thou 
me enough to bear as my disciple, without repining, the bur- 
thens which Providence ordains for thee 1 Then shall thy 
love for me make those burthens light, and bring thee at 
Length to happiness which shall never end." In prosperity 
may that question be recalled to mind ; " Lovest thou me 
more than these things 1 Can thy religious affections retain 
their strength amid so many temptations, so many enjoyments'? 
Be watchful then, and be doubly happy, in the enjoyment of 
the life that now is, and the anticipated glories of the world 
to come." 

HYMN. 

Creator ! by thy care and love 
A charge is given us from above ; 
In constant duty must we wait, 
As servants at their masters gate ; 
Remembering all thy holy law 
With zealous love, and fear, and awe, 
And ready, when our Lord shall come, 
Joyful to bid him welcome home. 

Then, in the watches of the night, 
If he appear before our sight, 
Fearless may we his presence meet, 1 
And as our friend, our Master greet ; 
His eye our ready love shall see, 
And mark our tried fidelity ; 
And kindness from his lips shall flow, 
And large rewards his hands bestow. 



152 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

Thus, holy Master, in the day 
When heaven and earth shall pass away, 
When, in the world's astonished sight, 
Thy throne of judgment stands in light, 
May we, from every terror free, 
That awful preparation see ; 
And, e'en in Nature's closing hour 
Adore our Maker's love and power. 



SECTION L. 

THE ASCENSION OF JESUS. 

Acts 1. 
The former treatise have I made, Theophilus, of 
all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the 
day in which he was taken up, after that he had 
given commandments unto the apostles whom he 
had chosen through the Holy Ghost. To whom 
also he showed himself alive after his passion by many 
infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and 
speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. 
And being assembled together with them, he com- 
manded them that they should not depart from Jeru- 
salem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, 
saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly bap- 
tized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the 
Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they there- 
fore were together, they asked of him, saying, Lord 
wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Isra- 
el ? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know 
the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 153 

his own power. But ye shall receive power after that 
the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be 
witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, 
and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 
And when he had spoken these things, while they be- 
held, he was taken up ; and a cloud received him 
out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly 
toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood 
by them in white apparel ; which also said, Ye men of 
Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven ? This 
same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, 
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go 
into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from 
the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a 
sabbath day's journey. 



REFLECTIONS. 

The Saviour has ascended to his father. The scene of his 
earthly labours and sufferings has been exchanged for eternal 
glory in the heavens. But his gospel remains. A light sprung 
up on the shore of the lake of Galilee, to those who sat in 
darkness. The nations saw it and were glad ; vice and ig- 
norance fled away before it. Europe rejoiced in its radiance. 
It darted across the waves of the Atlantic, and touched 
a new world with hues of heaven. Its beams still shine to 
guide us in the way of peace, to make glad the desolate 
places of the earth. The Saviour moves no more among 
men, but the spirit which shone in him, the spirit of devotion 
to his heavenly Father, and of love to the human race, hath 
since his day animated thousands of faithful hearts. His 
kingdom, which commenced in the humble manger at 
Bethlehem, has been proclaimed far and wide. May that 



154 GOSPEL HISTORY. 

God from whom he came, extend its limits, till all the world 
shall own the name of Jesus; and may we, his disciples, by 
unfeigned love of him and of his heavenly Father, and by 
living among our fellow men as brethren, join with our hearts 
and lives in the song of the angels who announced his birth, 
"Glory to God in the highest; peace on earth; goodwill 
toward men." 



Montgomery* 

Hail to the Lord's anointed ! 

Great David's greater Son ; 
Hail, in the time appointed, 

His reign on earth begun. 
He comes to break oppression, 

To set the captive free ; 
To take away transgression, 

And rule in equity. 

He shall come down, like showers, 

Upon the fruitful earth, 
And love, joy, hope, like flowers, 

Spring in his path to birth : 
Before him, on the mountains, 

Shall Peace the herald go ; 
And righteousness in fountains-. 

From hill to valley flow. 

For him shall prayer unceasing* 

And daily vows, ascend ; 
His kingdom still increasing, 

A kingdom without end. 
The mountain dews shall nourish 

A seed in weakness sown, 
Whose fruit shall spread and flourish, 

And shake like Lebanon. 



GOSPEL HISTORY. 155 

O'er every foe victorious, 

He on his throne shall rest, 
From age to age more glorious, 

All-blessing and all-blest. 
The tide of time shall never 

His covenant remove ; 
His name shall stand forever ; 

That name to us is — Love. 



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